Ex-ice hockey player fined for assaulting partner

A former professional ice hockey player has been fined more than £1,300 for assaulting a woman.

Clifford Pu, 27, admitted two counts of assault by beating which took place in November and December 2025.

Sheffield Magistrates' Court heard how he left his partner at the time with bruising to her hands and an injured nose in one incident and ripped an item of clothing off her body in another.

Pu, who has moved back to his native Canada since losing his contract with Sheffield Steelers, was fined £1,335 by the court and will pay a total of £1,951 including costs.

A witness, who could see into his accommodation from her home, said the woman was "cowering away, pulling her arms in and physically flinching" during one incident, which lasted about 30 minutes.

CCTV footage showed the woman trying to hide around a corner from him during the course of the earlier assault.

A second neighbour heard shouting and looked through their peephole to see Pu dragging the woman along the corridor and her "actively resisting".

In a statement in December, Sheffield Steelers said he was "no longer associated with the club with immediate effect".

He had been signed at the start of the 2025/26 season, making 28 appearances before his contract was terminated.

David Williams, defending, said: "His professional career is finished, there is no realistic prospect of him continuing to play."

He said Pu had his visa revoked as a result of losing his contract with Sheffield Steelers and could also lose a place on an MBA course at Sheffield Hallam University.

Pu had started therapy to "make sure he is not someone who has these problems in the future", Mr Williams added, saying he had shown "genuine remorse" for his actions.

Magistrates ruled it was "not feasible" to give him a community order, which would last a minimum of one year, as he would not be allowed to remain in the country for more than six months.

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