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Captain of amateur football team admits breaking rival player’s nose in brawl over foul

SINGAPORE — During a heated argument on a football field last year, a 31-year-old captain and coach of an amateur football team head-butted a player from the opposing side, fracturing his nose.

Nicolas Amet Wen Cai, captain and coach of amateur football team FC138, was attempting to protect his teammates when he became agitated and head-butted a player from the opposing team.

Nicolas Amet Wen Cai, captain and coach of amateur football team FC138, was attempting to protect his teammates when he became agitated and head-butted a player from the opposing team.

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  • Nicolas Amet Wen Cai head-butted another player from the opposing team in the face
  • He admitted to doing so “in the heat of the moment”
  • The prosecution is seeking at least four weeks’ jail 

 

SINGAPORE — During a heated argument on a football field last year, a 31-year-old captain and coach of an amateur football team head-butted a player from the opposing side, fracturing his nose. 

On Monday (Aug 31), Nicolas Amet Wen Cai pleaded guilty to taking part in the brawl at East Spring Secondary School in Tampines. 

The assault left the other man, a 34-year-old Chinese national, with a broken nose and a deep cut on his eyebrow.

A video of the altercation began circulating online shortly afterwards.

HEATED CONFRONTATION 

The fracas happened in the late afternoon of Feb 17 last year, when Amet’s team FC138 was up against Ranger United, another amateur team, in a friendly match at the school. 

About five minutes before the game ended at 4.50pm, players from both teams began arguing over a foul from an FC138 player.

A short while later, they started pushing one another in the middle of the field.

Amet tried to protect his teammates by pushing away the Ranger United players. The referee stood a short distance from the commotion, telling them to stop fighting.

Deputy Public Prosecutor (DPP) Derek Ee said that the goalkeeper for Ranger United ran towards the group of players and “did a jump-kick” at an FC138 player.

The scuffle became more heated when Amet and his victim stood face-to-face and swore at and shoved each other. 

DPP Ee said that Amet was no longer behaving defensively.

“Neither the accused nor the victim wanted to back off from the confrontation.

“Suddenly, the accused head-butted the victim on his face. The impact was hard and the victim fell to the ground,” the prosecutor said. 

When the other man began bleeding profusely and blacked out, Amet and his teammates fled.

The police arrived a few minutes later and the victim regained consciousness shortly afterwards.

An ambulance took him to Changi General Hospital, where he was treated for a nasal bone fracture and a 3 to 4cm cut on his right upper eyebrow.

He was discharged two days later. A brain scan showed that he did not suffer a skull fracture, bleeding in his brain or a stroke.

DPP Ee said Amet admitted to head-butting the victim as he was standing close by and Amet was “feeling angry and agitated in the heat of the moment”. 

The prosecutor is seeking at least four weeks’ jail, saying that it was clear Amet and his teammates fled after seeing the extent of the victim’s injury and knowing they would potentially be in trouble with the law.

The prosecution is not seeking a compensation order because the victim or his team will be filing a civil lawsuit against Amet.

Before Amet pleaded guilty on Monday, his lawyer Jeremy Pereira said he needed time to make rental and personal expense arrangements for his younger sister.

His parents have separated, with his father returning to France and his mother being “quite abusive”. 

Amet now rents a housing unit with his sister, Mr Pereira said.

Amet will return to court next week to be sentenced.

For voluntarily causing hurt, he could be jailed up to two years or fined up to S$5,000, or punished with both.

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