Francesco Giuseppe Scordo. By Rebecca Fraser
TWO former junior football coaches have lodged appeals with the Dandenong Magistrates’ Court after they received jail terms yesterday (Wednesday ).
Francesco Giuseppe Scordo, 19, and Tony Clifford Bundy’s hearing started on Tuesday when the pair both pleaded not guilty to various charges stemming from an altercation at a Dandenong and District Junior Football league under nine fun day in August 2004.
During the altercation a volunteer parent umpire was assaulted as young children watched.
Mr Scordo, a former assistant coach at Mossgiel Park Junior Football Club, faced four charges in relation to the incident, including intentionally causing injury, assault by kicking, recklessly causing injury and unlawful assault.
He was sentenced to four months imprisonment, with two months suspended for two years.
Mr Scordo has since lodged an appeal and was granted bail yesterday.
Mr Bundy, a former coach at Mossgiel Park Junior Football Club, faced similar charges, including one count of recklessly causing injury and one count of unlawful assault.
He was sentenced to three months imprisonment, with two months suspended for two years.
Mr Bundy, 24, has also lodged an appeal and was granted bail.
During a committal mention last November, the court heard that a fight erupted after a game between the Endeavour Hills Junior Football Club and Mossgiel Park Junior Football Club at the fun day in which 30 under nine teams were competing. The court was told Mr Bundy allegedly pushed through his young players after the game and punched the volunteer parent umpire in the head.
It was then alleged that Mr Scordo ran over to the altercation and also punched and kicked the parent umpire.
The court was also told that Mr Scordo was wearing a pair of steel capped boots at the time and allegedly kicked the umpire to the upper thigh and hip area as the umpire lay on the ground.
A date for the appeal hearing is yet to be set.
