Nial mason 6 months suspended prison sentence!!!!

[Russell Mason]

This is Niall Mason's father
I can categorically state that today was a mistrial of justice and anyone in court would have seen that.
The evidence of the full cctv of the alleged event was not shown properly to its end in court and it clearly shows that nothing untoward happened.
Niall has been scared into pleading guilty to an offence he didn't commit by bad advice.
He was simply asked to take a photo with a girl and her friend which he always does .How this has ever gone to court is madness. Footballers are targeted all the time and what happened today is so wrong.
I have been through this football journey with Niall for all his whole life and anyone who knows Niall will tell you the same...he is not this person. he is a caring and kind person and a dedicated professional who works hard every day to be the best he can...he has had to live with this over his head for a year now, but never let the club down once.
Doncaster fans have always been really good to Niall and I would ask for the same to get through this.
He really wants to put this whole ordeal behind him and get on with his life and career
He has sacrificed his childhood and teenage years to make it as a professional and would not have done any such thing to put his career in jeopardy.
Thank you for your understanding....

[IDM]

How many tines do I need to say it, if I didn’t commit the crime I would fight to clear my name..

[ChrisBx]

How many tines do I need to say it, if I didn’t commit the crime I would fight to clear my name..

Absolutely. An SSO isn't a get off, particularly when the conviction means someone is required to sign the sex offender register for seven years. That will most likely come with a sexual harm prevention order which carries an often long list of restrictions.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Hate stuff like this, why can't football stay about football. I hope the girl can recover and that Niall learns and grows because of this. If thats with us or someone else i'm not sure.

Certainly hard for the club not to sack him but it can set a precedent other players have had run ins with the law or unethical behaviour. Lots of people will/would of been affected, Wilks and Copps in the current squad off the top of my head then Darren Ferguson as manager, Diouf who was always doing immoral things and Woods and Brown who got caught up in a scandal which while not illegal would fit in the brining a family club into disrepute category.

Remember the courts are dealing with him from a law point of view any punishment/action we take is from a football club ethics point of view which is why we need to be clear we either sack anyone caught offending or brining the club into disrepute or we don't. Imagine you get sacked at your job for say losing your driving license and you find out your colleague lost his years ago but kept his job/reputation...

[dickos1]

How many tines do I need to say it, if I didn’t commit the crime I would fight to clear my name..

Yes I know, which in Evans case meant going to prison for a number of years

[Chris Black come back]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

[ChrisBx]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

Please don't compare horse race fixing with sexual assault.

[drfchound]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

Maybe we should have sacked him.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Very, very stupid boy. You can never judge a character, especially when under the influence. On face value it would seem out of character.

Personally, I dont think it should affect his future employment with us but let it be a massive life lesson and an example to everyone on the playing staff how not to behave.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

Please don't compare horse race fixing with sexual assault.

But its behaviour that brings the club into disrepute through our association/employment of him. The courts deal with punishment legally the club can only act on ethical principals. It's a minefield if we aren't consistent.

Where do you stand on the employment of Ferguson who was found guilty of beating his wife? thats a closer parallel to Masons offence 

[dickos1]

Not sure he beat her. He got fined £1500.
Common assault could mean something like he pushed her,

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

Please don't compare horse race fixing with sexual assault.

But its behaviour that brings the club into disrepute through our association/employment of him. The courts deal with punishment legally the club can only act on ethical principals. It's a minefield if we aren't consistent.

Where do you stand on the employment of Ferguson who was found guilty of beating his wife? thats a closer parallel to Masons offence 

I don't believe it does, as long as its dealt with and the club has in place reasonable measures to reduce the risk of players putting themselves in these positions.

[German Rover]

Not sure he beat her. He got fined £1500.
Common assault could mean something like he pushed her,

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2296930/Darren-Ferguson-fined-after-wife-assault.html

Hit her in the stomach with his knee. Hes an arsehole as well

[ChrisBx]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

Please don't compare horse race fixing with sexual assault.

But its behaviour that brings the club into disrepute through our association/employment of him. The courts deal with punishment legally the club can only act on ethical principals. It's a minefield if we aren't consistent.

Where do you stand on the employment of Ferguson who was found guilty of beating his wife? thats a closer parallel to Masons offence

I didn't want him hired.

Either way, it's not comparable to a violent sexual offence.

[dickos1]

Not sure he beat her. He got fined £1500.
Common assault could mean something like he pushed her,

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2296930/Darren-Ferguson-fined-after-wife-assault.html

Hit her in the stomach with his knee. Hes an arsehole as well

Doesn’t mention his knee,
Anyhow he wouldn’t have walked away with a £1500 fine if he’d beaten her up

[drfchound]

Not sure he beat her. He got fined £1500.
Common assault could mean something like he pushed her,

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2296930/Darren-Ferguson-fined-after-wife-assault.html

Hit her in the stomach with his knee. Hes an arsehole as well

Doesn’t mention his knee,
Anyhow he wouldn’t have walked away with a £1500 fine if he’d beaten her up

“Raised his leg and collided with her stomach”.
Must have kicked her then if it wasn’t his knee.
Either way it is an assault.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

We're all so judgemental without knowing the true facts. Our moral compasses may vary a little however the matter has been dealt with by someone who had the facts at their disposal. I would like to think and hope Niall is not a sexual predator but just got too carried away with his own importance and vanity in a mad moment of weakness.

[drfchound]

Almost forgot about this episode.

https://www.nottinghamforest.co.uk/news/2012/october/statement-from-james-coppinger/

Please don't compare horse race fixing with sexual assault.

But its behaviour that brings the club into disrepute through our association/employment of him. The courts deal with punishment legally the club can only act on ethical principals. It's a minefield if we aren't consistent.

Where do you stand on the employment of Ferguson who was found guilty of beating his wife? thats a closer parallel to Masons offence

I didn't want him hired.

Either way, it's not comparable to a violent sexual offence.

Was Masons offence violent?

[Jonathan]

No doubt that Mason has let himself, the football club and most importantly the victim down with his behaviour. There’s no positive spin that can be put on it.

He has been punished through the courts and has to live with what he’s done. The club have a difficult decision to make and I will back them whichever way they decide to go. If he’s to stay then I feel there needs to be a full, frank and genuine apology along with some form of restorative practice work to try and bring something good from this. Not that I’m in any way condoning what he’s done, but people do get second chances in life. If the club decide to sack him I will understand it. It’d be a big shame as he’s such a good player but there’s more to the decision than that.

It’s not a call I’d relish making if I was McCann or Baldwin. I trust their judgement on this.

[DonnyRover]

I’ve seen the cctv and know about the case, he got off very lightly, and deserves everything he gets. Sack him now.

[belton rover]

Imagine if he played for Barnsley, Rotherham, Sheff W/Utd, Scunny, Leeds etc.
How different this thread would be.

[Filo]

I’ve seen the cctv and know about the case, he got off very lightly, and deserves everything he gets. Sack him now.

In what capacity have you viewed the cctv?

[ChrisBx]

Sounds like absolute b*llocks from his dad. You can't plead guilty and therefore avoid a trial and then moan about the full facts not being considered at a trial...

Toxic behaviour all round.

[German Rover]

Sounds like absolute b*llocks from his dad. You can't plead guilty and therefore avoid a trial and then moan about the full facts not being considered at a trial...

Toxic behaviour all round.

I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought this.

[dickos1]

Not sure he beat her. He got fined £1500.
Common assault could mean something like he pushed her,

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/2296930/Darren-Ferguson-fined-after-wife-assault.html

Hit her in the stomach with his knee. Hes an arsehole as well

Doesn’t mention his knee,
Anyhow he wouldn’t have walked away with a £1500 fine if he’d beaten her up

“Raised his leg and collided with her stomach”.
Must have kicked her then if it wasn’t his knee.
Either way it is an assault.

It is yes,
It’s common assault, punished with a small fine

[dickos1]

Sounds like absolute b*llocks from his dad. You can't plead guilty and therefore avoid a trial and then moan about the full facts not being considered at a trial...

Toxic behaviour all round.

He said the cctv footage was shown but not in its entirety. So whether it was a trial or not they showed this evidence but only showed part of it.

[Alickismyhero]

I am so sad to hear this.

AS I see it he has been punished and he now has to live with the embarrassment of what happened that night, not to mention his family.

I have no doubt that he was under the effects of substances which affected his judgement making process that night. That's no excuse but it explains what happened.

(I think to varying degrees we all have had our judgement making process affected by alcohol at sometime in our lives and had to accept the punishment)


I would hope the club takes its time in coming to a conclusion in making the right decision for the club.


Footballers in general must accept they are not above the law.

[ChrisBx]

Sounds like absolute b*llocks from his dad. You can't plead guilty and therefore avoid a trial and then moan about the full facts not being considered at a trial...

Toxic behaviour all round.

He said the cctv footage was shown but not in its entirety. So whether it was a trial or not they showed this evidence but only showed part of it.

Presumably the CCTV will have been shown during sentencing. If they wanted to contest this then don't enter a guilty plea.

[Draytonian III]

For Donny Rover to have seen the cctv he/she must work either for a firm of solicitors, a company that monitors cctv cameras, or for the police service, and if any of these are correct I very much doubt your employer would be happy about you mentioning it on a football forum. You could get into trouble yourself.

[ChrisBx]

For Donny Rover to have seen the cctv he/she must work either for a firm of solicitors, a company that monitors cctv cameras, or for the police service, and if any of these are correct I very much doubt your employer would be happy about you mentioning it on a football forum. You could get into trouble yourself.

Or was sat in the public gallery...