Footballer may face jail after 'road rage' incident

The injuries inflicted by Reading Football Club player Matt Partridge, of Oak Tree Road, Thatcham, shocked hardened police officers, a court heard.
A witness said the 6ft 3ins tall Mr Partridge put so much weight behind each blow that his own feet left the floor with every punch.
Mr Mannion broke down as he recalled: “As the last punch landed I went blind... I could feel blood pouring through my fingers.”
The 40-year-old was rushed to hospital where he underwent tests for brain damage and will need medical check ups for the rest of his life, Newbury magistrates heard.
At a previous hearing Mr Partridge admitted assault causing actual bodily harm on August 29 last year, but only on the basis that he over-reacted with two punches while defending himself.
Prosecutors rejected this, triggering a Newton hearing - a mini trial to establish the truth - last Thursday, February 20.
After the three-hour hearing, Newbury magistrates rejected 20-year-old Mr Partridge’s account after his evidence conflicted with what he told police upon arrest.
It then emerged he had previously been cautioned for a similar attack on an innocent stranger.
Giving evidence last Thursday, Mr Mannion said he was motorcycling to work on the A4 Bath Road when he was involved in a minor collision with Mr Patridge’s silver Vauxhall Astra.
Both pulled into a layby, where Mr Mannion said he expected to exchange details with the driver with the “muscular, body builder’s form”.
Receiving only threats and abuse, he said, he took pictures of Mr Patridge’s registration - with terrifying results.
Mr Mannion added: “It was as if a red mist descended. He said: ‘Stop taking pictures of my car. You’re going to pay for what you’ve done - I’m going to kill you.'
“He then closed the distance between us and grabbed my throat in a choking grip, lifting me onto the balls of my feet, before pushing me into a bramble bush.”
Shaken, but determined to record some evidence of the accident before his attacker left the scene, Mr Mannion again tried to photograph the Astra’s
registration, the court heard.
When Mr Partridge strode back and stood toe-to- toe with him, Mr Mannion said he instinctively pushed him out of his personal space.
He added: “The defendant then said something I will remember forever. He said: ‘You’ve put your hands on me... now I can do what I like’.”
Mr Mannion said his tormentor throttled him again but this time began punching him, with full force, to the face.
He broke down when recounting what happened next. When he regained his composure, Mr Mannion said: “As the last punch landed, I went blind. I sank to my knees as he stood over me. I let out a guttural scream - a roar, a cry for help. I could feel blood pouring through my fingers onto my trousers.”
Pc Ashley Hunka, who answered Mr Mannion’s 999 call, told the court: “The injuries were quite shocking - blood was fairly pouring from his face and there was loose skin hanging round his neck.”
In the hospital emergency department Mr Mannion needed a CT scan to check for brain
damage because he was vomiting and temporarily blinded.
He needed stitches, and an endoscopy revealed a probable broken bone in his larynx; while a specialist said Mr Mannion will need lifelong check-ups for possible health complications.
Giving evidence, Mr Partridge insisted Mr Mannion had been the initial aggressor - an account which prosecutor Berenice Mulvanny said conflicted with earlier statements.
He said he had been frightened and, after being pushed by Mr Mannion, had over reacted in defending himself.
Ms Mulvanny concluded: “Look at the demeanour of these two - is Mr Mannion even capable of being aggressive in the way described?”
Steve Molloy, for Mr Partridge, described Mr Mannion’s account as “theatrical and highly polished”, and added: “Any reasonable doubt should be resolved in favour of my client.”
Finding in favour of the prosecution, presiding magistrate Susan Snell referred to discrepancies in Mr Partridge’s evidence and said they found Mr Mannion a truthful witness.
She added: “You need more punishment than we can give you and so we’re committing you, on bail, to the Crown court at Reading for sentence.”
A spokesman for Reading FC, Mortimer-Zhika, said the club would not comment until after the
sentencing.