Furious former Leeds rugby pro smashed bottle over his head and drove dangerously after girlfriend split

Furious Christopher Buttery, a former Leeds Rhinos academy player, had attacked the woman at a hotel in Wakefield in June last year, smashing her phone and grabbing her.

The 38-year-old was arrested, later bailed and was warned not to contact the victim. But on July 20 she agreed to meet him in a public car park to give him back his belongings having told him she wanted to end their relationship.

He tried to persuade to give him another chance, she refused and he snatched her phone before refusing to give it back. He then tried to drag her into his car but she fell back. She then left and went home.

Buttery turned up at her home a short time later and she eventually agreed to get in his car simply to get her phone back. But he then set off in an "erratic" manner, crashing into a another vehicle on a roundabout, before continuing, prosecutor John Hobley told Leeds Crown Court.

He appeared to become more angry, kept punching the windscreen and smashed the bottle over his head. He eventually pulled over, with the tyre of his car completely detached from the wheel.

The police quickly arrived, having been called by members of the public because of his driving. Buttery, of Broom Nook Street, Leeds, initially claimed it was not him driving. An axe was also recovered from his car.

He later admitted assault and criminal damage from the hotel incident, then ABH, criminal damage, dangerous driving and possession of a bladed article from the July incident. He has two previous convictions for four offences, including drink driving, careless driving, and driving while banned.

Buttery was an academy player for Leeds Rhinos, who later played for Doncaster, Batley and Hunslet. His career spanned 2008 to 2016. Mitigating, Samuel Ponniah said that Buttery was left "listless and at sea" after his rugby career came to an end.

He said Buttery had been held on remand since July last year, meaning he had already served the equivalent to a 14-month sentence, given that prisoners usually serve half of their sentence before being released on licence. He added: "He does not shy away from that it is serous offending. There are strong prospects for rehabilitation and had made very good use of his time in custody."

He said that Buttery had also previously been a hailed a hero, having dragged a man out of burning vehicle after stopping at a road traffic collision.

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Judge Simon Phillips KC called Buttery's offences as "inexcusable" and pointed to his use of drugs and alcohol. But he agreed his remorse was "genuine".

He gave him 23 months' jail, suspended for 24 months, told him he must wear an electronic tag for two years, ordered to enrol on the Building Better Relationships domestic violence awareness programme, gave him 40 rehabilitation days, 100 hours of unpaid work and an indefinite-length restraining order. He was also banned from driving for three years and must undertake an extended re-test to get his licence back.