Footballer avoids jail time for shocking elbow on opponent that went viral

He has avoided a jail sentence

Thomas Taylor from Anglesey in Wales has handed down a five-month suspended sentence and fined £439, according to reports, following proceedings at Caernarfon Magistrates' Court on Monday.

The footballer is reported to have attacked Daniel Brookwell during an Ardal North West league match between Porthmadog FC and Trearddur Bay in January of this year.

A fan watching the game captured the incident on camera, and the clip was shared widely amongst online sports supporters on social media.

This clip is also said to have been shown to magistrates during court proceedings.

A clip of the incident is available to watch in full here:

All credits for the clip belong to X account @ifan_tomos, who shared the video at the time of the incident back in January.

His post has since been viewed 15 million times.

36-year-old Thomas Taylor pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm, according to the BBC.

Trearddur Bay, the Welsh club that Taylor was representing during the time of the match, released the player from his contract immediately after he was issued with a ban by the Football Association of Wales.

Per the BBC, Brookwell, the player attacked by Taylor, is said to have considered his future in football after the incident, as a result of the way that it has affected his enjoyment of the game.

As part of the court proceedings, the court is reported to have heard that Taylor accepted his actions were "inexcusable" and that he believed there was no possible provocation that could have justified what happened.

Taylor's defence said his early guilty plea was proof of his intention to apologise for the incident.

His sentence has been suspended for 12 months and he was fined £439, which includes £200 compensation for Brookwell.