Judge clears Sean Gleeson’s attacker

Former Hull KR player Sean Gleeson “provoked and initiated” the violent incident which led to his career-ending eye injury, according to a jury at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday.

Gleeson was punched in a fight in Wigan by Lee Jones, who was today acquitted of a charge of affray, after the judge ruled that he acted in lawful self-defence.

The fight had erupted in a Wigan nightclub, with Gleeson, who was holding a bottle arguing with Terrance Riley, a friend of Mr Jones.

Riley and Gleeson were thrown out of the club by bouncers after arguing. The incident occurred at around 4am.

Gleeson was seen on CCTV arguing with door staff for around another 15 minutes after being ejected from the club.

He and Riley then exchanged blows, and a bare-chested Gleeson then ran at Jones, who admitted that he was scared when he threw the punch which partially blinded Gleeson.

Riley was handed a 12-month community order, including 100 hours of unpaid work, by the judge,who acknowledged that he had been unlucky to run into Gleeson, when he was not out looking for trouble.

The judge added that Riley, who has no previous convictions for violence, was not responsible for Gleeson’s injuries or initiating violence.

“Brawling in the street in the early hours of the morning with the public walking past is something the courts will not tolerate,” he said.

“The CCTV shows the two of you effectively grappling with each other and going into the middle of the road and both swinging punches at each other.

“Gleeson went to the floor and if you had walked away then I do not suppose you would be here today but the CCTV shows while he was on the floor you took the opportunity to strike him once or twice.

“You took off, he got to his feet and then two or three seconds later he was struck a heavy blow by Jones.

“That blow was thrown by him in lawful self-defence.”

Gleeson strongly refuted allegations in court that he was telling lies.