President of the Westmoreland Football Association, 40-year-old Everton Tomlinson, who landed several punches on an amateur boxer has been found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Resident Magistrate Sheron Barnes convicted him on Wednesday of the charge. He was fined $30,000 or four months' imprisonment.

The Crown led evidence that on May 18, 2009, Tomlinson punched 35-year-old Delroy 'Boxer' Williams several times in the chest.

The men had an argument about Boxer making comments on talk shows and in the public about Tomlinson who is a football adminisrator. The argument escalated into a physical assault on Boxer.

Williams, the complainant, testified in the Savanna-la-Mar Resident Magistrate's Court that Tomlinson held him by his throat and punched him several times in his chest. He had to seek medical attention and a medical certificate was tendered in evidence to support his claim.

In his defence, Tomlinson said it was Boxer who approached him and attacked him. He said he had stopped his motor car to attend to a 'slow leak' tyre when he was attacked.

The Crown, to support its case, put into evidence a section of a statement which Tomlinson had given to the police.

Tomlinson said in the statement that he stopped beside Boxer and asked to speak to him. No mention was made of tyre problems in the statement.

Boxer was charged with assaulting Tomlinson but the Crown withdrew the charge after the RM in her verdict said it was Tomlinson who attacked Boxer, and any blows he received from Boxer was in self-defence.

Tomlinson was represented by attorney-at-law Tashakaye Peru.