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An MMA fighter from New Zealand has avoided a criminal conviction after knocking out a man who attacked him without provocation at a party.
Per Stuff, a publication in New Zealand, mixed martial artist and apprentice builder James Craughwell appeared in Wellington District Court last December after pleading guilty to assaulting a man in the suburb of Miramar back in September 2021.
The police report following the incident notes that Craughwell and the victim both attended a house party. In the early hours of September 26, the victim is said to have approached the MMA fighter on the driveway before throwing an unprovoked punch.
In response, the 28-year-old delivered a blow that knocked his attacker out cold. The victim was left with a broken nose, fractured eye socket, and a cut above the eye resulting in a scar and nerve damage.
MMA Fighter’s Response Deemed Self-Defense
In court proceedings, Craughwell had requested discharge without conviction, as well as the suppression of his name relating to the case. While police deemed that the MMA fighter had used excessive force in response to the attack, Judge Peter Hobbs granted the request for no conviction.
As well as Craughwell’s actions being branded self-defense, the victim did not seek the compensation or restorative justice meeting that the mixed martial artist had offered.
While the judge granted the conviction-free discharge, he did refuse to maintain Craughwell’s anonymity, dismissing the notion that a publicly known assault charge would hamper his chances in a sport that promotes violence.
Since the incident, Craughwell has been taking counselling sessions and completing community work at his martial arts gym, actions that the judge noted would likely have been handed down to him had he been convicted.
While he’s competed in other disciplines, including reaching the final of the King in the Ring eight-man kickboxing series back in 2021 — a banner previously competed under by the likes of Israel Adesanya, Mike “Blood Diamond” Mathetha, and Carlos Ulberg — Craughwell has struggled in MMA.
In two fights last year, the 28-year-old went 0-2, dropping decisions to City Kickboxing’s Kevin Jousset and Navajo Stirling.
What do you make of the judge’s decision not to convict the MMA fighter?
An MMA fighter from New Zealand has avoided a criminal conviction after knocking out a man who attacked him without provocation at a party.
Per Stuff, a publication in New Zealand, mixed martial artist and apprentice builder James Craughwell appeared in Wellington District Court last December after pleading guilty to assaulting a man in the suburb of Miramar back in September 2021.
The police report following the incident notes that Craughwell and the victim both attended a house party. In the early hours of September 26, the victim is said to have approached the MMA fighter on the driveway before throwing an unprovoked punch.
In response, the 28-year-old delivered a blow that knocked his attacker out cold. The victim was left with a broken nose, fractured eye socket, and a cut above the eye resulting in a scar and nerve damage.
MMA Fighter’s Response Deemed Self-Defense
In court proceedings, Craughwell had requested discharge without conviction, as well as the suppression of his name relating to the case. While police deemed that the MMA fighter had used excessive force in response to the attack, Judge Peter Hobbs granted the request for no conviction.
As well as Craughwell’s actions being branded self-defense, the victim did not seek the compensation or restorative justice meeting that the mixed martial artist had offered.
While the judge granted the conviction-free discharge, he did refuse to maintain Craughwell’s anonymity, dismissing the notion that a publicly known assault charge would hamper his chances in a sport that promotes violence.
Since the incident, Craughwell has been taking counselling sessions and completing community work at his martial arts gym, actions that the judge noted would likely have been handed down to him had he been convicted.
While he’s competed in other disciplines, including reaching the final of the King in the Ring eight-man kickboxing series back in 2021 — a banner previously competed under by the likes of Israel Adesanya, Mike “Blood Diamond” Mathetha, and Carlos Ulberg — Craughwell has struggled in MMA.
In two fights last year, the 28-year-old went 0-2, dropping decisions to City Kickboxing’s Kevin Jousset and Navajo Stirling.
What do you make of the judge’s decision not to convict the MMA fighter?
Click here to view the article.
Per Stuff, a publication in New Zealand, mixed martial artist and apprentice builder James Craughwell appeared in Wellington District Court last December after pleading guilty to assaulting a man in the suburb of Miramar back in September 2021.
The police report following the incident notes that Craughwell and the victim both attended a house party. In the early hours of September 26, the victim is said to have approached the MMA fighter on the driveway before throwing an unprovoked punch.
In response, the 28-year-old delivered a blow that knocked his attacker out cold. The victim was left with a broken nose, fractured eye socket, and a cut above the eye resulting in a scar and nerve damage.
MMA Fighter’s Response Deemed Self-Defense
In court proceedings, Craughwell had requested discharge without conviction, as well as the suppression of his name relating to the case. While police deemed that the MMA fighter had used excessive force in response to the attack, Judge Peter Hobbs granted the request for no conviction.
As well as Craughwell’s actions being branded self-defense, the victim did not seek the compensation or restorative justice meeting that the mixed martial artist had offered.
While the judge granted the conviction-free discharge, he did refuse to maintain Craughwell’s anonymity, dismissing the notion that a publicly known assault charge would hamper his chances in a sport that promotes violence.
Since the incident, Craughwell has been taking counselling sessions and completing community work at his martial arts gym, actions that the judge noted would likely have been handed down to him had he been convicted.
While he’s competed in other disciplines, including reaching the final of the King in the Ring eight-man kickboxing series back in 2021 — a banner previously competed under by the likes of Israel Adesanya, Mike “Blood Diamond” Mathetha, and Carlos Ulberg — Craughwell has struggled in MMA.
In two fights last year, the 28-year-old went 0-2, dropping decisions to City Kickboxing’s Kevin Jousset and Navajo Stirling.
What do you make of the judge’s decision not to convict the MMA fighter?
An MMA fighter from New Zealand has avoided a criminal conviction after knocking out a man who attacked him without provocation at a party.
Per Stuff, a publication in New Zealand, mixed martial artist and apprentice builder James Craughwell appeared in Wellington District Court last December after pleading guilty to assaulting a man in the suburb of Miramar back in September 2021.
The police report following the incident notes that Craughwell and the victim both attended a house party. In the early hours of September 26, the victim is said to have approached the MMA fighter on the driveway before throwing an unprovoked punch.
In response, the 28-year-old delivered a blow that knocked his attacker out cold. The victim was left with a broken nose, fractured eye socket, and a cut above the eye resulting in a scar and nerve damage.
MMA Fighter’s Response Deemed Self-Defense
In court proceedings, Craughwell had requested discharge without conviction, as well as the suppression of his name relating to the case. While police deemed that the MMA fighter had used excessive force in response to the attack, Judge Peter Hobbs granted the request for no conviction.
As well as Craughwell’s actions being branded self-defense, the victim did not seek the compensation or restorative justice meeting that the mixed martial artist had offered.
While the judge granted the conviction-free discharge, he did refuse to maintain Craughwell’s anonymity, dismissing the notion that a publicly known assault charge would hamper his chances in a sport that promotes violence.
Since the incident, Craughwell has been taking counselling sessions and completing community work at his martial arts gym, actions that the judge noted would likely have been handed down to him had he been convicted.
While he’s competed in other disciplines, including reaching the final of the King in the Ring eight-man kickboxing series back in 2021 — a banner previously competed under by the likes of Israel Adesanya, Mike “Blood Diamond” Mathetha, and Carlos Ulberg — Craughwell has struggled in MMA.
In two fights last year, the 28-year-old went 0-2, dropping decisions to City Kickboxing’s Kevin Jousset and Navajo Stirling.
What do you make of the judge’s decision not to convict the MMA fighter?
Click here to view the article.
