James Child reveals horrifying death threat with “chef’s knife”

We are all looking ahead to the weekend’s huge Super League action with a huge Hull derby between Hull FC and Hull KR, a big game in the play-off race between Leeds Rhinos and Salford Red Devils and of course the big clash between Warrington Wolves and Super League and World Champions St Helens.

However, despite all of these big clubs and big names that get us excited the most important people are perhaps officials.

In recent times we have said goodbye to some top officials like James Child and Robert Hicks.

Child has now spoken about his journey including some horrifying death threats.

“There were two police investigations with the two death threats I had. I had other death threats, but I didn’t take them as quite as seriously as the two that I got,” he said on BBC Radio Leeds.

“Particularly the second one, as video referee for St Helens against Salford, and I made a decision at the last minute, which was a match-changing decision.

“It went against Salford. It was a controversial decision. It was one of those video calls that actually you could probably argue either way and no matter which way you gave it, you were never going to win.

“So I received this message and it wasn’t just one, it was two or three and this gentleman was suggesting he was going to bring his chef’s knife to the next game.

“He was a chef, he worked as a chef and you think, well hang on a minute, my appointments are published online so somebody could very easily know where I’m going to be at the next game. I’ve got to walk across a car park without any security, very exposed in many ways.”

He then explained that he decided this had to be report it to the police.

“I discussed it with my husband at the time, and we felt that it was something that I should deal with. And so I decided to report it to the police,” he added.

“Now they went and spoke to that person. He was incredibly apologetic, and that was the end of it to some extent. I didn’t really want it to be a prosecution and all that but I wanted that message to be made clear to that person that it was unacceptable behaviour.

“It didn’t happen all the time but it did happen. Does that make it right? No it doesn’t. Yeah but I’m not the only person and referees aren’t the only people that do it. It’s unfortunately some of the downsides of social media.”