Alas this is true. I know this because I was on on bail for 11 months and tried at crown court for GBH for laying out a bloke with one punch (only) in a rugby match.
The bloke concerned had just taken a 10 metre run up and kicked my defenseless mate in the spine (a fact verified by an x-ray and medical report, 10 witnesses and a ban from the RFU). He had significant previous, including getting sent of in the corresponding fixture the previous year for head-butting.
Thankfully common sense finally prevailed two days in, when he had been shown to be a lying bastard. At this point the judge invited the prosecution to drop the case, but they were intent on continuing on the basis that my one punch represented unreasonable force. Only when he refused to allow them to put this to the jury on the basis that it a conviction on this basis would be a gross miscarriage of justice did they throw in the towel.
I'm not bitter though...
