Welsh rugby star Andrew Bishop has been ordered to pay compensation to a person he assaulted in a Cardiff street.
The incident happened while the star was out on the town. The attack on the passer-by was apparently random, and at first the Welsh centre had denied the allegations, only for them to be proven by CCTV footage.
His victim required eight stitches for a split lip.
At Cardiff Magistrates’ Court, it transpired Bishop had drunk around six pints of beer, vodka, and an energy drink. On leaving the nightclub sector of the city, he had found himself in a doorway after the effects of the drink took their toll.
Passer-by Allan Hornsey asked him if he was okay. At this point Bishop attacked him, punching him several times.
Katie Pidgeon, prosecutor said: “The defendant was sat on the ground in a doorway with his head down.
“He was throwing punches with his clenched fists with both hands.”
Defending Bishop, Stuart Hutton said this was out of character and his client regretted the incident.
He said: “He has never been disciplined or shown any card apart from a yellow for being offside.”
Bishop was fined £465 and ordered to pay £500 compensation to Mr Hornsey.
After the hearing, Bishop said: “What happened does not represent the person I am.
“I have endeavoured to conduct my life with integrity and stand by values which are important.”
Magistrate Frank Medina said: “It saddens the court that someone with your reputation and clean record appears before the court.”
