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12-year revenge of RL history man
A FORMER rugby league club historian almost battered a friend to death in anger at losing his job – 12 YEARS earlier.
Matthew Price's fury at being ousted from the role at Batley Bulldogs had "festered" before he carried out the attack on Andrew Watson, a court heard. Price, 35, tried to strangle his friend, then bludgeoned him with a stick.
He then armed himself with a carving knife with the intention of murdering his sister.
He was jailed indefinitely at Leeds Crown Court this week after Judge Hoffman ruled Price posed a significant risk of danger to the public.
The judge ordered that he serve a minimum six years sentence before being considered for parole and added: "The only explanation possible is that you are an obsessive character prone to brooding and your dismissal as historian had been festering in your mind since 1998."
The court heard how Price had been intensely proud of his role at the club. His interest was described as compulsive and obsessive.
But he lost the job in 1998 after a conviction for misuse of a phone.
The court heard his sister then posted "regrettable" messages on a website, though no more detail was given.
Michael Smith, prosecuting, said Price and Mr Watson had been good friends for 15 years and knew each other through following the club.
On February 21 Mr Watson turned down a meeting in a pub with Price, who then went round to his friend's flat in the early hours, wrestled him to the floor and tried to strangle him.
Mr Watson escaped but Price hit him repeatedly with a stick outside the Bradford Road home during a 10-minute attack.
Price was laughing during the attack and said to his friend: "You are the same as that lot up there!"
The attack ended when a passing driver stopped.
Mr Watson underwent life-saving surgery after a splinter of wood embedded 4cms into his neck.
Price then went to his parents' home with the knife, made threats against his sister and demanded to be let in.
He was arrested when his father called police.
Price, of Lansdowne Close, Batley, told officers he had gone out with intention of murdering his sister.
He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of a knife and criminal damage.
Tasu Anastasis, for Price, said a disturbing features of the case was "it happened on a person with whom he had no quarrel. They had been friends for 15 years."
He said Price himself was not able to identify why he carried out the attack and described Price as a caring, mild mannered man who had lead a blameless life.
Mr Anastasis said: "(The job loss] festered away for something in the region of 12 years."
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Friday 25 May 2012
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