Former North Haven team manager and player’s dad Michael White has jail term overturned for hitting Fitzroy under-13s player

The former team manager of a SANFL Juniors side has learned his fate for an act of violence against a 12-year-old player who had tackled his son.

The former team manager of a SANFL Juniors side has avoided a jail term after he struck a 12-year-old player in the face during a game.

Michael James White’s immediate three-month jail sentence was overturned and replaced with a suspended sentence after he appealed to the Supreme Court.

White, 42, was the North Haven under-13s team manager when he hit the Fitzroy player on August 6, 2023.

The court heard White’s son was tackled by the victim. Play was suspended while White’s son, who was injured, was treated by trainers. The court heard the Fitzroy player was standing but hunched over with his hands on his knees.

“He then heard ‘watch out’ and saw you running towards him, elbowing him to the left-hand side of his jaw, further causing him to fall to the ground,” the magistrate said during sentencing in February.

“(The victim) felt immediate pain to his jaw.”

However, in the appeal judgment, Justice Ben Doyle said “whilst the contact was plainly not inadvertent” it could not be said with confidence that White raised or lifted his elbow.

Justice Doyle also said his review of video footage showed the victim was not knocked down by the impact.

Former North Haven team manager Michael White’s jail term was overturned after he hit a Fitzroy U13 player. Photo: File

He found the video supported a conclusion that the collision was a spontaneous act which occurred as White was running towards his son “likely in an emotional state”. “As the magistrate observed, it is utterly unacceptable that a fully grown man, particularly one entrusted with a team manager role who should understand the importance of modelling appropriate behaviour for the young footballers, should assault a defenceless 12-year-old,” he said.

“It had the potential to have caused significant injury (and) those who saw the incident are likely to have been shocked and potentially affected by it.”

The court heard White, from Seaton, had written a letter of apology to the victim and acknowledged he had failed to act as an appropriate role model to his son.

He pleaded guilty to assault and spent a few hours in custody after sentencing before being granted bail.

The court heard the matter was investigated by the league and White was given a lifetime ban from being involved in any official club representative capacity. He was also fined $500 and banned for 12 months from the date of the incident from attending any Australian rules football match.

“SANFL has zero tolerance for anyone who is in breach of our Code of Conduct at junior matches and it is simply unacceptable to see team officials, who should be role models for young players, behave in this manner,” SANFL executive general manager of football Matt Duldig said at the time.

Justice Doyle said due to White having strong prospects for rehabilitation, he found good reason to suspend the jail term if he signed a $500, 18-month good behaviour bond.

Originally published as Former North Haven team manager and player’s dad Michael White has jail term overturned for hitting Fitzroy under-13s player