A dad got so angry with a referee's decision during his teenage son's football match in Bristol that he attacked a rival player's father and broke his cheekbone, a court heard.

Neil Meadows, aged 49, punched Roger Cook in the face, knocking him to the ground in front of horrified players and spectators at the Under-16s match involving Filton-based Avon Athletic junior football club.

He then booted Mr Cook "as if he was kicking a football", Gloucester Crown Court heard.

Meadows ran off after the attack but was pursued by team officials and players and when they surrounded him there was a scuffle in which a player was hurt, the court was told.

Father-of-four Meadows admitted assaulting Mr Cook, causing him actual bodily harm, and was jailed for 12 months yesterday.

Judge Martin Picton told him: "This was just a terrible thing to do in front of all the lads playing their game and their families. To resort

to violence over something that did not even justify shouting and to inflict upon someone really serious injuries is awful.

"What an example to set. It is the sort of thing that just erodes our society – people letting their tempers get out of control and behaving like this."

Lisa Hennessy, prosecuting, said the incident happened on December 7 last year, when Meadows' son was playing for Avon Athletic against Gloucestershire team King's Stanley in an Under-16s game at Stonehouse, near Stroud.

Mrs Hennessy said: "It was a tight game and about 15 minutes before the end Avon Athletic were 3-2 up.

"One of the Avon Athletic players fell down in the King's Stanley penalty area but the referee refused to award a penalty.

"The referee's decision was one that Meadows did not endorse. He began shouting a tirade of foul abuse. It was bad enough for the referee to walk over to Meadows to tell him to shut up.

"The game began again and Meadows made his way down the pitch towards the goal. He was still mocking the referee, pretending to laugh at the decision.

"He then encountered Roger Cook, the father of the King's Stanley goalkeeper.

"Mr Cook said cheerfully 'That was a good dive.'

"It was the last thing he remembers of the incident. Meadows ran up to him and punched Mr Cook in the face.

"Mr Cook fell to the ground and as he went to get back up Meadows kicked him in the face.

"As one of the witnesses put it: 'He kicked Roger as if he was kicking a football. I haven't seen anything like it since football violence in the 80s.'

"Everyone present rushed towards the scene. Mr Cook was being picked up off the ground as Meadows ran off towards the tennis courts, hotly pursued by the manager of the team and all the players.

"They surrounded him and a scuffle ensued in which one of the players was hurt before someone said 'Let him go'. Meadows then left the scene.

"Mr Cook was taken to hospital. He was found to have an undisplaced fracture to his left cheekbone, swelling and numbness. The numbness may persist for some time.

"Meadows handed himself in to Stonehouse police station that same day. He was interviewed the following day. He told the police that Mr Cook said something to him and he turned to tell him to shut up.

"He said that Mr Cook walked towards him, threatened him, threw a punch and he stepped away but must have connected with Mr Cook.

"He denied kicking the victim but said he raised his knee to stop Mr Cook grabbing his legs and this might have connected with him."

Mrs Hennessy said Mr Cook, a driving instructor, had lost £1,000 in earnings because of his injury.

Meadows had a previous conviction for assault back in 1979, she said.

More relevant, however, was that he had a conviction for battery in June last year and was subject to a conditional discharge at the time he assaulted Mr Cook.

Joe Maloney, defending, said Meadows, who lives in Bournemouth, was 'deeply ashamed of his behaviour' and bitterly regretted it.

At the time, Meadows was subject to stress because his business, which had been taking £10,000 a month, was failing and income had fallen to £500 a month, Mr Maloney said.

"His debts were rising and his mental state was perhaps affected by this. This is someone who is normally mild mannered, hard working, thoughtful, caring, and a loving father."

Mr Maloney said that following the assault, Meadows had voluntarily taken an anger management course.