26-05-2025
Rival spectator faces ban after he allegedly strangled a boy, 11, during a Perth junior soccer match
A parent will face court accused of choking an 11-year-old boy from the opposing team during a junior soccer match.
The man, 46, is accused of strangling the boy during an under-12s match at Abbeville Park in Mindarie in Perth 's north on Sunday.
The boy was playing for Mindarie Football Club against Whitford City FC when a parent from the opposing team allegedly grabbed his neck during a dispute made over a call.
The boy was not seriously injured and did not require medical treatment.
A Watermans Bay man was charged with one count of of impeding another person's normal breathing or blood circulation by applying pressure to the neck.
He will appear in Joondalup Magistrates Court on June 6.
Whitford City has advised that the father has been banned from all club activities, pending the outcome of legal proceedings.
'The club is cooperating fully with the authorities,' its statement read.
'We take matters of this nature extremely seriously, and our priority is the safety and wellbeing of all players, families, and volunteers.
'As the matter is now before the court, the club will not be making any further comment at this time.'
Mindarie Football Club president Lee Hughes also issued a statement in the wake of the incident.
'Our immediate priority is the wellbeing of the child and his family, who are receiving our full support,' he said.
'We are cooperating fully with the opposition club and relevant authorities.
'While passion and competitiveness are part of football, we must always remember the game is for the players - especially the children.
'Their safety, enjoyment and development come first.'
Football West chief executive Jamie Harnwell described the alleged incident as a 'very serious matter.'
'For someone to allegedly have laid their hands on another person's child is extremely disturbing, as a parent of kids and someone who loves the game very much,' he told ABC Radio Perth.
However, he noted it was an incredibly isolated incident with thousands of games occurring across the state every weekend without 'anything like this'.
'We do a lot of work with our clubs to support them, to support good behaviour at games and training sessions and to make sure that everybody who attends a football match understands the expectations that are placed upon them,' Mr Harnwell said.
'Most importantly is for the players and the parents that were there, to make sure that they're okay and continue to enjoy what should be the best time of the week for them.'
