England international Delon Armitage was described as “an habitual offender” with “an appalling disciplinary record” yesterday in the written judgement of his latest appearance before rugby union disciplinary chiefs.

A complaint regarding an on-pitch incident — following his team’s European Champions Cup defeat against Leicester earlier this month — was dismissed by an independent disciplinary panel but he was found guilty of misconduct following a post-match episode with fans at the ground and banned for 12 weeks.

In its judgement the committee said: “We considered the player’s previous record and concluded that he is an habitual offender against the laws of the game, and one for whom there needs to be a deterrent to combat a clear pattern of offending, both on and off the field.”

The hearing was told that Armitage had been making his way from the Toulon team bus to the Legends Lounge at Welford Road for a post-match meal when he was greeted by autograph hunters, including the 11-year-old son of Stephen Hampson.

After signing Hampson’s son’s programme, there was an interaction between Armitage and a group of tigers fans at which point the player was reported as saying “F*** off, I’ll f****** come down there and sort you out. F*** off — come on then, come on then f*** off,’” all within range of Hampson, his son and large number of young children.

Hampson made a formal complaint to Leicester Tigers the following day, with Armitage in his defence saying that he was “frequently the subject of banter and abuse.”

The judgement continued: “We were not impressed by the player when he gave evidence and was questioned. He presented himself as the victim and sought to justify what he had done and said.

“Wherever there were inconsistencies between his account and that of Mr Hampson, we had no hesitation in preferring the evidence of Mr Hampson.”