Champion boxer Joe Cordina has been found not guilty of assault after a viral video showed him punching a man outside a Cardiff petrol station. The verdict was delivered at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, with the judge ruling that the single punch was proportionate in the circumstances.
Footage from outside the petrol station in Pentwyn showed Cordina punch Jamie O'Brien to the face so hard he fell to the ground. Cordina then shouted at O'Brien: "Don't you ever, ever f*****g do that to me again, you stupid p***k."
Cars stopped at the entrance to the petrol station during the incident in February as Cordina pushed O'Brien back to the ground as he tried to get up. The video went viral and led to South Wales Police investigating the incident.
Court Ruling on Self-Defence
Cordina was accused of assaulting O'Brien by beating in a case that went to trial. Judge Charlotte Murphy issued her judgement on Tuesday, saying the single punch Cordina threw was proportionate in the circumstances.
"I am satisfied that the defendant believed it was necessary to use force to defend himself," the judge told the court. "I am further satisfied that a single, measured, controlled punch was proportionate in the circumstances.
"It is very easy to consider the defendant's response by considering the CCTV in slow motion, however the defendant had a split second to consider his response to the shoulder barge."
She added: "This is a person who has lived in the public eye for many years and has interacted with the public on a daily basis. For all of those reasons, the crown has not proved to the criminal standard. I therefore find the defendant not guilty and dismiss the charge."
Incident Details and Aftermath
Cordina had been filling up his Land Rover before he approached O'Brien, who had been sitting on the pavement near the station exit. CCTV footage played to the court showed O'Brien proceeding to push Cordina using his shoulder, before Cordina "punched him with sufficient force to knock him to the ground".
The court heard the two men continued to "remonstrate" with one another and exchange blows. O'Brien, from Pentwyn, has previously pleaded guilty to a charge of assault by beating.
Cordina said he initially thought O'Brien was a fan who wanted a photograph and described how he was accustomed to being recognised four or five times a day, adding: "I make time for everybody."
He told the court he had seen O'Brien staring at him while he was filling his car and called him over, but that O'Brien had responded: "You come here."
He said he had acted in self defence because he felt threatened after O'Brien "barged" him during their initial interaction. "He had his hands in his pockets, I don't know what people carry on them these days," he told the court.
Cordina told the court it was "pretty much" a certainty that he would risk losing his boxing licence if he received a criminal conviction and that this "100%" had an impact on how he conducted himself day to day.
After Cordina walked free from court on Tuesday, Nadeem Majid, his counsel in the case, told press Cordina was hoping to be on the undercard for the upcoming December 11 fight between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury in Cardiff.
"Today's verdict is a huge relief for Joe and everybody close to him. He's always maintained his innocence throughout," he said. "On behalf of Joe I'd like to thank his family, friends, loyal fans, and legal team for their unwavering support. Joe would now like to continue to concentrate on his family and boxing, and we'd all like to see him on the bill in December."
