Northampton Town footballer Lee Collins has been given a suspended prison sentence for a pub attack that left his victim with a dislocated shoulder.
Collins told a judge he was “deeply sorry” for the attack in which he punched and kicked a man who had gone to a pub in Shropshire to celebrate his wedding anniversary.
The 24-year-old carried out the attack at the Station Hotel pub in Wellington, the Shropshire Star has reported.
Collins and co-defendant James Mullarky got into an altercation with Donald Campbell and during the attack, 26-year-old Mullarky threw a pint glass which hit Mr Campbell on the cheek.
The court heard the altercation started when Mr and Mrs Campbell asked Collins – who now earns £600 a week and an additional £200 per game at Northampton Town – and Mullarky to leave their table.
Without warning, Collins punched Mr Campbell in the head before throwing more punches, and Mullarky then threw the glass at Mr Campbell.
Stephen Oldham, for Collins, said the attack was completely out of character and his client was “deeply sorry”.
Cobblers’ manager, Aidy Boothroyd, told the court: “I’ve found Lee to be a genuine man, very level headed and a good role model.”
Mullarkey was sentenced to 12 months in prison. Collins was sentenced to 12 months in prison suspended for 24 months, ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work and placed on a curfew for 12 weeks between 8pm and 6am and told to pay Mr Campbell £2,500.