No criminal charges following ice hockey death

Adam Johnson was playing for Nottingham Panthers when he was hit

A professional ice hockey player arrested on suspicion of manslaughter following the death of fellow player Adam Johnson has been told he will not face any charges.

Mr Johnson was playing for Nottingham Panthers against Sheffield Steelers when he was hit in the neck by Steelers player Matthew Petgrave’s skate in October 2023.

The 29-year-old American died in hospital and a post-mortem examination confirmed his cause of death as a neck injury.

On Tuesday, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decided it would not bring criminal charges against Mr Petgrave, who is Canadian.

He spent 17 months on bail after he was arrested in November 2023.

Mr Petgrave was rebailed seven times by South Yorkshire Police as the investigation continued.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor Michael Quinn said: “This was a shocking and deeply upsetting incident.

“The CPS and South Yorkshire Police have worked closely together to determine whether any criminal charges should be brought against the other ice hockey player involved.

“Following a thorough police investigation and a comprehensive review of all the evidence by the CPS, we have concluded that there is not a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offence and so there will not be a prosecution.

“Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Adam Johnson.”

Mr Johnson’s death shocked the ice hockey world after being witnessed by thousands of fans at the arena in Sheffield.

In January last year, Sheffield’s senior coroner, Tanyka Rawden, suspended her investigation while the police inquiry took its course.

It emerged later that Ms Rawden had issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to Ice Hockey UK and the English Ice Hockey Association (EIHA) about the use of neck guards in the sport.

In the report, the coroner said she was “sufficiently concerned that deaths may occur in the future if neck guards or protectors are not worn”, with the bodies given 56 days to say what action had been taken – or why action had not been taken.

Neck guards have been mandatory in the Elite League (EIHL), in which the Nottingham Panthers and Sheffield Steelers compete, since January 1 2024.

This followed the International Ice Hockey Federation’s decision in December to mandate the use of neck laceration protectors for its competitions.

Published: 29/04/2025 by Radio NewsHub