A 42-YEAR-OLD Boston area father will face charges of “disturbing the peace” for his part in disrupting a high school ice hockey game in which his daughter was competing.
According to the Suffolk County district attorney, James Cordes attended the February 29th district play-off game between Medway-Ashland and his daughter’s team, Winthrop High School, with the intention of using a laser pointer to harass the Medway-Ashland goalkeeper, Kathryn Hamer.
Standing alone in the upper bleachers of the rink – like a presidential assassin, you might say – Cordes used the device to distract and induce “momentary confusion” in the teenager, prompting police to intervene on behalf of event organisers.
Kurt Carter, coach of Medway-Ashland, told Boston.com he was relieved to hear of the decision to press ahead with the case, but his team’s 3-1 defeat has been difficult to accept.
“I think if it went completely unpunished, it probably doesn’t send the lesson that needs to be sent… There was a distinct impact on the game, and we weren’t allowed to play an even, straight-up game with Winthrop.”
Though Kathryn Hamer has yet to suffer an adverse physical reaction, her parents are believed to be considering the pursuit of a civil case against Cordes.
