A professional footballer has been jailed for three years after he bottled a reveller and fractured his skull in two places during a late night brawl over a woman.
Bristol Rovers ace David Pipe, 26, had been on a nine hour drinking binge when he battered Rhys Morris, 29, over the head with a half-empty wine bottle.
Rhys, described in court as a ”completely innocent member of the public”, was left with a 4in hole in his skull.
He underwent emergency surgery and had metal plates fitted in his shattered skull, but is still suffering the effects of the attack.
Pipe claimed to have no memory of the incident when he was arrested, but eventually pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Sentencing Pipe to 38 months imprisonment at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday (May 15) , Judge Mark Horton described him as a ”talented man with too much time and too much money”.
He said: ”A tragedy would be too small a word to describe the tale which has led us to this courtroom.
”It is yet another salutary tale of a young man with natural exceptional talent for what is described as the beautiful game.
”It led you to extremely good financial employment with a number of football clubs. You have a talent which thousands of young men would give anything to possess.
”However, away from the football field you clearly had a life of too much time and too much money which led you into the all too familiar spiral of binge drinking, gambling and meaningless sexual encounters.
”For no good or sensible reason you attacked a completely innocent member of the public in a vicious, unprovoked and drunken attack with a wine bottle.
”The victim was left with two fractures of the skull and a 4in hole, which required surgical intervention to lift out the fragments and insert metal plates.”
Pipe, who was since sacked from Bristol Rovers, had been downing double vodkas and sambucas before the incident at 4am on September 16 last year.
The midfielder, who lived in Stapleton, Bristol, was on a night out with friends at Antix nightclub in the city when he became embroiled in a row over a woman.
The argument led to a drunken street brawl during which Pipe hit Rhys, who was visiting Bristol with a friend, over the head with a half empty bottle of wine.
He was rushed to Frenchay Hospital, Bristol, and underwent surgery to remove a 4in depressed skull fracture and insert three metal plates.
Rhys has been unable to work since the incident and still suffers from memory loss, headaches and frequent falls.
Pipe, who was charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, was sacked by Bristol Rovers when he pleaded guilty.
The court heard his financial situation is now ”catastrophic”.
Caroline Bolt, prosecuting, described a CCTV video of the incident which was shown to the courtroom.
She said: ”The defendant was holding a bottle by his side and hit the victim with the bottle and he fell to the ground immediately, poleaxed.
”He had two fractures of the skull and had to undergo an operation as a result.”
Ian Kelcey, defending, added: ”There is no doubt that alcohol had a massive part to play in the commission of this offence.
”David Pipe is a completely different man when not under the influence of alcohol.”
Pipe signed for Rovers in July 2007 in a £50,000 move from Notts County, and has since scored three goals in 78 appearances.
The Welshman previously played for Coventry City and has captained the Wales Under-21 team.
Pipe made 10 appearances for Rovers last season, including seven league matches, two Carling Cup matches and one Johnstone’s Paint Trophy game.
what a waste Pipey !! the evil drink does its worst again pal….miss your presence at the Mem x take care buddy x
what a waste Pipey !! the evil drink does its worst again pal….miss your presence at the Mem x take care buddy x
Grew up with this lad. He is without doubt, one of the most arrogant persons I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. Big headed, selfish idiot.
Rot in prison Pipey boy
Grew up with this lad. He is without doubt, one of the most arrogant persons I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. Big headed, selfish idiot.
Rot in prison Pipey boy
On a positive note for the people of Nottingham, we won’t be seeing him down the lane for a year or two at the very least, horrible oxygen waster and contrary to report, a rubbish full back who couldn’t cross the road never mind a football.
On a positive note for the people of Nottingham, we won’t be seeing him down the lane for a year or two at the very least, horrible oxygen waster and contrary to report, a rubbish full back who couldn’t cross the road never mind a football.
cant believe david would do such a thing used to train in the gym with this guy never wished for such a placid guy fair play did not deserve to go down for this incident at all probation maybe or community services would have hurt him much more than jail.. jail nowadays is too easy
cant believe david would do such a thing used to train in the gym with this guy never wished for such a placid guy fair play did not deserve to go down for this incident at all probation maybe or community services would have hurt him much more than jail.. jail nowadays is too easy
Agree with what Joe Hines says, but I would add that this guy is a 1massive massive numpty1.
Pipey – if you are readin this, for all these years you have been a mega-arrogant world class bell-end and the world has finally caught up with you. Now you are financially ruined (SKINT) and you are lickin iron bars. How do you feel mate I bet you are gutted arn't you! : ) Everyone else is outside havin a mint laugh on holiday, buying houses and checkin out the ladies
All of us in Cov always thought you were a massive tool anyway and we are well happy that u r screwed for the rest of ur life. U aint never goin to get another club or work in football again. U aint got nothing to fall back on and u r goin to be skint for the rest of ur life. By the time u r out of your box you will be applying to Asda for a job on the checkouts!! That's if you make it out of jail in one piece, Iv got a feelin that the sisters will sniff out ur pretty 4ss in no time ha ha ha!!
You are over, get used to it son
Agree with what Joe Hines says, but I would add that this guy is a 1massive massive numpty1.
Pipey – if you are readin this, for all these years you have been a mega-arrogant world class bell-end and the world has finally caught up with you. Now you are financially ruined (SKINT) and you are lickin iron bars. How do you feel mate I bet you are gutted arn't you! : ) Everyone else is outside havin a mint laugh on holiday, buying houses and checkin out the ladies
All of us in Cov always thought you were a massive tool anyway and we are well happy that u r screwed for the rest of ur life. U aint never goin to get another club or work in football again. U aint got nothing to fall back on and u r goin to be skint for the rest of ur life. By the time u r out of your box you will be applying to Asda for a job on the checkouts!! That's if you make it out of jail in one piece, Iv got a feelin that the sisters will sniff out ur pretty 4ss in no time ha ha ha!!
You are over, get used to it son
what a loser, why did u do that? u deserve more than 3 years for ruining some lads life. its all over for u now son. no football ever again, no money and no mates!!!
let me know what prison is like old pal.
what a loser, why did u do that? u deserve more than 3 years for ruining some lads life. its all over for u now son. no football ever again, no money and no mates!!!
let me know what prison is like old pal.
I knew Pipey from his Cov City days, and I had my own opinion about him. Arrogant was the word that always sprang to mind, but I never thought he wud do something like that. What a waste of a career!!!
i hope he rots in jail, the person he hit has a permenant reminder of him in the scar he has on his head.
david pipe is a nasty evil thing , he cried like a baby in court, tears for himself not his victim.
Joe you seem to be a hater, you defo would not say it to his face ya pussio. You have to have some arroance in sport to get to the top so why dont you just leave it. If you got to know him now you would say different. Easy to say things when they cant stick up for themselfes. Not saying its right what he did (its not but dont be a dick so just do one.