Cracking Shaft pleads guilty to assault

David Goodwillie has pleaded to an assault charge for an incident that occurred back when he lived in Scotland and was a Dundee United player.

The now Blackburn striker alternatively known as Cracking Shaft now faces a criminal charge and potentially some jail time (although this is a long shot).

Goodwillie was caught up in an incident outside a Japanese restaurant back in 2010. The details of the case were given by a prosecutor yesterday as the Rovers man stood trial.

The following is taken from the Stirling Observer…

‘Prosecutor Mr Stewart stated – “The accused made his way across Queen Street to approach Friel. He was partially restrained by a friend but managed to break away, losing his shirt in the process.”

The footballer smacked Friel before punching him five or six times on the head and body.

The court was told Goodwillie, who moved to Blackburn last August, also aimed a kick before Friel staggered away.

Mr Stewart said Goodwillie appeared emotional before police turned up and detained the Scotland star and a number of others.

Friel was given 240 hours of community service last August after he admitted the assault on Mr Swanson.

On Monday Goodwillie’s QC Donald Findlay said Friel’s attack that night was “cowardly and brutal”.

He said Mr Swanson had a medical condition which had his friends fearing his life could be in danger after being hit.

Goodwillie was “clearly very angry” at what had happened and confronted Friel. Mr Findlay went on: “Mr Goodwillie accepts that this type of behaviour was not justified.

“It was largely driven by genuine concern for his friend who was in some distress. His life, for all that was known, could have been at risk.”