Callum Smith, a 20-year-old boxing coach, turned a cinema outing into a nightmare when he attacked his best friend in Haverfordwest. The shocking incident saw Smith punching, headbutting, and kicking his friend, even putting him in a chokehold while asking, “Have you got any last words because I am going to kill you.”
The drama unfolded after a minor spat over a girlfriend escalated into violence, leaving the friend bruised, with swelling and memory loss. Smith, caught in a rage, later boasted to the police about how he “f***ing leathered” his friend.
This case highlights the tragedy of a close friendship gone wrong. Once inseparable since age two, the victim described how the event left him as “a shell of my former self.” The emotional and physical scars serve as a haunting reminder of what should never have happened.
Appearing in Swansea Crown Court, Smith admitted to unlawful wounding. Despite having no prior convictions, the gravity of the assault was undeniable. Judge Huw Rees emphasised that the violence had no place in the disciplined world of boxing and hoped Smith learned his lesson during his time in custody.
Smith was handed an 18-month detention, suspended for 18 months, along with a rehabilitation programme and a mental health treatment requirement. He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid community work and is banned from contacting his victim for five years with a restraining order.
This incident serves as a powerful reminder of how quickly tempers can turn deadly and the importance of maintaining discipline and respect, both inside and outside the boxing ring.