Dunfermline Athletic captain Kyle Benedictus has avoided a jail sentence after admitting his role in a serious assault during a drunken altercation at a pub in Edinburgh that left another man with a fractured neck. The 34-year-old defender pleaded guilty to assault to severe injury after an incident involving Dean Wilkes at Freddy’s Bar in the capital’s city centre. The court heard that what began as a verbal confrontation escalated into violence, with Benedictus placing Wilkes in a headlock and repeatedly striking him. During the struggle, both men fell to the floor, with Wilkes smashing his head against the base of the bar and losing consciousness. Although Wilkes was initially taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and discharged shortly afterwards, the seriousness of his injuries became clear the following day when he attended his GP. Medical examinations revealed he had suffered a broken bone in his neck, an injury that later required corrective surgery. Benedictus, who is from Plean near Stirling, left the scene following the incident but was arrested not long after and charged in March last year. He appeared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court last month, where he entered a guilty plea, and returned this week for sentencing. Defence solicitor Darryl Lovie told the court that Benedictus had not sought out confrontation and had acted under provocation. According to the defence, tensions had already been high after Benedictus’ teammate Sam Fisher was punched earlier in the evening by an unidentified man. Lovie said Benedictus’ intention had been to remove himself and his friend from the situation, but Wilkes approached them in an aggressive manner, which led to the altercation. Lovie added that his client accepted responsibility for his actions, stating Benedictus had “badly let himself down” and wished to apologise to the court, his family, his colleagues and Dunfermline Athletic. The court was also told that Benedictus had shown genuine remorse for what had happened. Sheriff Douglas Keir acknowledged the provocation involved in the incident, as well as Benedictus’ previous good character. Taking these factors into account, the sheriff decided a custodial sentence was not appropriate. Instead, Benedictus was handed a Community Payback Order, which includes 200 hours of unpaid work. Benedictus remains a key figure at Dunfermline Athletic, having made 86 appearances and scored eight goals since joining the club in 2022. He previously played for Raith Rovers, Dundee, Alloa Athletic and Montrose. Sam Fisher, also a Dunfermline player, is currently on loan at Scottish League One side Kelty Hearts. The case has reignited debate around the responsibilities of professional footballers away from the pitch and the consequences they face when off-field behaviour crosses the line.