FOOTBALLER Dayne Lewis-Peapell could be jailed after a jury decided today that his ankle-breaking foul tackle on an opponent was a criminal act.

Lewis-Peapell, 28, of Ruscombe Avenue, had denied unlawfully wounding Christopher Jackson during a Wiltshire Sunday League match at Fairford FC but was found guilty today by a Gloucester Crown Court jury.

The judge, Recorder Simon Foster, said the offence 'crosses the custody threshold' and he bailed Lewis-Peapell for a pre-sentence report.

He said Lewis-Peapell will be sentenced on January 13 at Bristol Crown Court and jail will be an option.

During the two-day trial the jury heard that Lewis-Peapell was playing for G-Power Solutions (now Jovial Monk) against Shrivenham in the Div 2 match on October 11 last year.

Shrivenham sub Christopher Jackson got the ball and moved into the penalty area. He was preparing to take a left footed shot at goal when, the prosecution said, Lewis-Peapell attacked from behind and went in with both feet off the ground, hitting Mr Jackson's right ankle and breaking it.

Violence erupted between the two teams after the incident and the referee abandoned the game.

Later, Lewis-Peapell - who was shocked and tearful at the scene - was notified he had received a red card and he was then punished at an FA Disciplinary hearing.

He had maintained that he tackled lawfully from a 45 degree ankle behind Mr Jackson and he said he went for the ball, not the player.

Three defence witnesses were called to support his case today - one of them G-Power Solutions goalkeeper Jonathan Gobey.

He told the jury he had known Lewis-Peapell since they were at junior school together.

"As a player, he is a genuine, committed, team kind of guy," he said. "I have never known him receive a red card.

"He has had maybe one yellow card in the whole time I've played with him. He is a delightful guy. He likes people and people like him."

He said he recalled Mr Jackson getting the ball near the half way line in about the 25th minute of the match after 'outmuscling' Lewis-Peapell in a shoulder to shoulder tackle.

"Jacko then turned to come down the field towards me," said Mr Gobey.

"Dayne had fallen over but he got up and started chasing him. He wasn't too far behind, a couple of strides.

"He was trying to get back into position and he did. Mr Jackson got into the box and I moved out from my area to try to stop his shot.

"As he was about to shoot Dayne came in from the side with one foot and took the ball off him.

"His right toe poked the ball away from Mr Jackson's attempted shot."

Mr Gobey said he had a clear view of the incident and was sure Lewis-Peapell came in from the side, not behind.

"I believe his trailing leg caught Jacko," he said. "It was a slide tackle. I was focused on the ball but I could see Mr Jackson had gone down.

"Then I could see Dayne was as white as a sheet and I heard Chris sort of growling in pain. Dayne straight away broke down - he was obviously very upset."

Cross-examining, prosecutor James Haskell suggested: "He didn't touch the ball at all, did he?"

"He touched the ball, 100 percent," insisted Mr Gobey.

After Lewis-Peapell's unanimous conviction by the jury of seven men and five women, Mr Haskell told the court the defendant had a criminal conviction for burglary when he was a youth but nothing for violence.

Granting Lewis-Peapell bail pending sentence the judge queried the two teams would be meeting each other again in the next few weeks. He said there would not want there to be any problems between them pending sentence.

But Lewis-Peapell told him: "We're not in the same league any more."

Recorder Foster told the defendant: "I am ordering a pre-sentence report so I know something more about you and your background before I come to pass sentence.

"You should be aware that all options are open to me. I have not made any decisions and I will, of course, consider the pre-sentence report that is compiled on your behalf."