Matthew Petgrave Raises Over £13,000 for Legal Fees After Arrest
Sheffield Steelers’ Matt Petgrave has raised significant funds for legal fees following his arrest related to Adam Johnson’s tragic death
Sheffield, UK, Matt Petgrave, Adam Johnson, Ice Hockey, Legal Fees
Sheffield: So, there’s this ice hockey player, Matt Petgrave, who got arrested after the tragic death of Adam Johnson. He’s been raising money for his legal fees and has managed to pull in over £13,000 through a crowdfunding campaign. Pretty impressive, right?
He started this campaign on Crowd Justice back in December, aiming for a whopping £300,000. In the end, 274 people chipped in, and the total came to £13,478. It’s a tough spot to be in, especially with everything that’s happened.
For those who don’t know, Adam Johnson, just 29, sadly passed away after an accident during a game on October 28, 2023. Matt, who’s from Canada, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter in November and has been rebailed several times since then.
His bail is set to run out on January 20. On his fundraising page, he mentioned that the legal process is really tough and drawn out. He’s super grateful for all the support he’s received from teammates and others in the hockey community.
Matt explained that he initially had insurance to help cover costs, but that fell through. Now, with his UK visa expired, he can’t work as a pro player, which makes things even trickier for him financially.
He’s looking for help to cover his legal costs while on police bail and any future expenses if it goes to court. He also plans to donate any leftover funds to safety initiatives in hockey, which is a nice touch.
There’s been an inquest into Adam’s death, but it’s been put on hold until the police finish their investigations. The coroner has raised concerns about safety gear, leading to neck guards becoming mandatory in the Elite League and other levels of ice hockey in the UK.