Preston Wanderers footballer carried out sickening assault on Tarleton Corinthians’ rival over red card

A judge described the attack by Aaron Houghton as “abject thuggery” and said it brought the game into disrepute.

Striker Houghton was playing for Preston Wanderers in the premier division of the Mid-Lancashire League two years ago when he deliberately kicked an opponent so hard in the head that he broke his jaw in two places.

The city’s Crown Court heard surgeons had to insert three metal plates in the face of Tarleton Corinthians’ player George Holdsworth to repair the injury.

As a result of the assault the victim still has no feeling in his bottom lip and has only limited sense of smell and taste, something doctors say may never come back.

Mr Holdsworth has since quit football despite describing it as his “passion” before the incident in January 2024.

Judge Michael Maher was told 37-year-old Houghton had already been sent off twice for violent conduct in the 12 months before the attack. He was also said to have had “several” red cards during the preceding five years.

His defence barrister pleaded for leniency. But after pleading guilty to Section 20 assault he was sent to prison for 16 months.

The judge said the player had been fined and banned by the Lancashire FA for the offence at the time. Yet he felt the matter was so serious - he described him as being "unhinged" during the game - only an immediate prison sentence was appropriate.

He also made him the subject of a restraining order banning him from making contact of any kind on Mr Holdsworth for four years.

The prosecution said the two men had been playing in a premier division match at Tarleton’s Carr Lane ground on January 27, 2024.

Mr Holdsworth,29, recalled seeing Preston Wanderers’ No 10 Houghton arguing with and swearing at his own team-mates during the game.

Midway through the second half Houghton had a chance to score, but a Tarleton defender put in a tackle which prevented him getting in a shot. Both players fell to the ground and when they got up Houghton squared up to his opponent and then started to punch him in the head and neck.

A group of players from both sides ran over to split them up, although Mr Holdsworth was not involved at that point.

Houghton was said to have warned the defender: “If I get a red card I’ll smash your face in.” Moments later the referee sent him off and as he stormed off the pitch he went over to the defender and grabbed him round the neck from behind.

Mr Holdsworth felt the need to intervene to prevent his team-mate getting hurt any further and grabbed Houghton round the waist. Both men fell to the floor. Holdsworth got up first and with Mr Houghton still on all fours with both hands on the ground he was kicked to the right side of his face. The victim was said to be dazed, in severe pain and had ringing in his ears.

One witness said the kick had been “absolutely horrific” and was as hard as a player would kick a football. Houghton was grabbed by his own team and led away. Seconds later he was seen fighting with his one of his Preston players. He had taken his shirt off and was threatening those who were trying to calm him down.

Mr Holdsworth was taken to hospital in Southport where x-rays showed he had broken his jaw on both sides and also had a broken wisdom tooth. He was transferred to another hospital in Aintree where he underwent surgery to insert metal plates to stabilise the jaw, two at the front and one at the back.

In a victim statement read out in court the victim revealed he had been told the loss of his taste and smell may not be recoverable due to nerve damage.

He said he had “struggled” to get back into football, but eventually he had not been able to continue. “It’s my biggest passion – I've been playing since I was 10.

“I have seen many incidents on a football pitch but nothing like what happened to me. I was 27 at the time and felt I could play another 10 years. But now I've lost my confidence.”

The court was told Houghton, of Miller Road, Preston, had 25 previous offences on his record including serving 42 months in prison for robbery, kidnap and assault in 2007. He had also been convicted of one count of battery and two of threatening behaviour.

Defence barrister Anthony Parkinson said his client had started bingeing on cocaine after the break-up of a relationship. Most of Houghton’s previous convictions had, he said, been committed when he was a young man.

He was remorseful for the way he behaved on the football field that day and the lawyer said a suspended sentence would be an appropriate punishment to give him a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. He did not pose any threat to the public.

Judge Maher said even before the incident several people had noticed his “aggressive demeanour”. The Tarleton manager described Houghton as “someone who has aggression in his personality”. He had been “looking for trouble” in that game.

The judge said he had been “outraged” by the tackle which robbed him of his chance to score. But he added: “The referee took no action, so he must have thought it wasn’t a foul.”

Judge Maher said Houghton had hit the defender at the back of the head and made a “menacing” threat to smash his head in if he was given a red card.

He said Mr Holdsworth had grabbed him round the waist to try and pull him away from the defender. “In my judgement it was a brave move by Mr Holdsworth, but I suspect it is one he regrets.”

As he was pushing himself up Houghton had aimed a kick of “sickening” force to the side of his face.

“You were so angry . . . you were unhinged,” said the judge. “You had to be restrained by other players while Mr Holdsworth was laid on the ground protecting his head.

“You struck his head with such ferocity that you fractured his jaw in two places. He lost sensation in his lower lip. He lost confidence and as a result he no longer plays football even though it was his passion.

“What worries me more is it is a return to your violent past. You have a dreadful record.”

Judge Maher added: “This shocking act of violence is abject thuggery which sullies the game of football and which brings it into disrepute.”

Preston Wanderers no longer play in the Mid-Lancashire League. They pulled out in March 2025 with four games still to play.