OTTAWA — The father of a 17-year-old Stittsville boy, injured by an on-ice hit that resulted in criminal charges, says he would have liked to have seen a stiffer penalty handed down by league officials.

Noah Sheehan was playing major midget hockey at the Goulbourn Recreation Centre in November when he was hit in the back of the head by another player, with a hockey stick, as he was on his knees on the ice.

The other player was handed an automatic three-game suspension for intent to injure. At a hearing, Hockey Eastern Ontario added a fourth game.

“I don’t want to disrespect the process that they have but, as a parent, you would have liked to have seen a little bit more discipline handed down,” said Tim Sheehan, Noah’s father.

“Maybe they saw something I didn’t,” said Sheehan. “I wasn’t at the hearing.”

Because of the resulting damage to his optical nerve, Noah has been unable to return to the ice — sidelining him and his dreams of playing hockey. His doctors have also ordered him to end all physical activity.

“The only thing his doctors will allow him to do is walk,” said Sheehan. “He can’t even drive a car.”

In a rare move, Ottawa Police laid criminal charges, of assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm, against a 17-year-old boy in connection with the on-ice hit. The teen cannot be identified because of his age.