Top snooker player White jailed for assaulting partner

PA Media

A snooker player who assaulted his partner has been removed from the world tour and world ranking list, say the sport's authorities.

Michael White, 33, from Neath, was sentenced on Thursday to 36 months in prison for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) said.

Issuing its own sanction, the organisation added: “The WPBSA does not tolerate such behaviour by a member and has taken immediate action to remove Michael White as a member."

It said it had been monitoring the case and had called an emergency board meeting following the sentencing.

White’s membership will end with “immediate effect”, meaning he will also be taken off the world ranking list and World Snooker Tour (WST).

“Michael White has the right to appeal the decision of the board within 21 days of the decision,” it said.

The WPBSA also said that it and WST "were not a party to these [court] proceedings and therefore it was not appropriate to intervene while the criminal justice process was ongoing.

"Upon conclusion of the case, immediate action has been taken as outlined within our statement,” it added.

White was the youngest player to make a competitive century when he did so at the age of nine and was world amateur champion by the age of 14.

He won his first world ranking title at the 2015 Indian Open in Mumbai with victory over Ricky Walden.

According to the website Snooker.org, White's world ranking was 60.