Player 'stamped on broken ankle'

A Teesside footballer has denied breaking his teenage opponent's ankle during a tackle, then stamping on him while he lay injured.

Jonathan Carroll, now 19, was hurt during the Sunday morning game at Eston Sports Academy in June 2008.

Teesside Crown Court was told that Mark Ward, now 23, sent him flying during a heavy tackle.

He then walked up to him as he sat on the grass and "sneakily" stamped on his broken ankle.

Mr Carroll, who played for Marton, is awaiting a fourth operation on his ankle and has been unable to play football since.

'Unbearable pain'

He said of the tackle: "It was really fast and it came in from just behind me, at the side, and it was a two-footed tackle.

"It was like a full sprint going straight through me.

"There was just pain, it was unbearable."

He told the court that Mr Ward, of St Mary's Court, Middlesbrough, then stamped on his already injured ankle, causing him to almost pass out.

The Whale Hill player was later arrested and admitted to police that the tackle had been hard, but said it was all part of the game.

He denies charges of grievous bodily harm and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

The trial continues.