Gary Madine Jailed for 18 Months Following Nightclub Assault Charges

Gary Madine has been jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of two separate attacks on fans.

The Sheffield Wednesday striker was convicted on assault charges last month, but he found out his sentence on Friday morning, according to BBC News.

The two incidents are reported to have occurred four weeks apart, Madine said to have hit Daniel Beresford in Sheffield’s Paris Bar in February 2012 before attacking Reece Hall in the city’s Viper Room club a month later.

Madine’s trial took place in Leeds Crown Court, where it was heard that the footballer had broken the nose of Beresford, who said he had merely asked Madine why he was staring at him in the bar.

Hall told the court that Madine had asked him which club he supported before proceeding to break his jaw and fracture his cheek in five places upon hearing it was Wednesday’s close rivals, Sheffield United.

The 23-year-old striker was found guilty on one count of actual bodily harm (ABH) against Beresford and grievous bodily harm (GBH) against Hall.

This isn’t the first time that Madine has had issues with the law, holding a previous conviction after assaulting a man in a pub almost three years ago, per BBC News.

For Wednesday fans, it's not too much of a burden given that Madine has made just one Championship appearance for the club this season.

The 23-year-old has made more than 100 appearances for the Owls, 20 of which came from the bench last term as the forward helped in the club's promotion from League One.

For Dave Jones, however, it means that Wednesday may have to dip into the transfer market this January in order to find attacking cover, with a loan or short-term signing looking plausible at the moment.

Beresford told the jury that he was actually a big fan of Madine, saying: “He was one of my favourite players, someone I looked up to."

Should he serve a full sentence, Madine will finish his term in 2015.