A player in the top Danish ice hockey league has been sentenced to 20 days in jail for punching another player in the head after dragging him to the ice during a game on September 20th. The sentence for 23-year-old Kristian Jensen of the Frederikshavn White Hawks is a suspended one, meaning he won't actually serve the jail time if he undergoes a successful probation period and community service. Jensen will, however, have a criminal record.

The incident, which is quite brutal, can be viewed at the end of this story. The White Hawks were facing the Odense Bulldogs at the time with Jensen landing the blow on Lucas Bjerre Rasmussen.

Jensen was suspended for 17 games for the punch. The judge in the case stated they were aware Jensen has already been punished by the league, but felt they must intervene given the severity of the incident.

It is interesting to note that it was not Rasmussen who asked for charges to be laid. The case was brought to police by a third party and authorities decided to press charges after reviewing it. Jensen's lawyer stated in court that the incident should never have landed in the legal system, adding hockey is a tough sport.

"If you can't stand it, you have to play chess instead," he told the court.

The prosecutor in the case had asked for a jail sentence of 30 to 40 days, but said he would leave it up to the judges to decide whether it should be a suspended sentence or not.