Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll has pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in a nightclub and been fined £1,000.
At Newcastle Crown Court, Carroll admitted the assault and landed a fine as well as being ordered to pay £2,500 compensation.
Carroll originally said that a glass slipped out of his hand as he threw a drink over Michael Cook in a Newcastle nightclub last December.
However today the 21-year-old pleaded guilty to common assault but denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Prosecutor Peter Gair said that Carroll had drunk between eight and nine pints of lager before he lashed out at Sunday League footballer Cook.
The classy incident began when Cook accidentally spilt some of his drink on a woman who was standing next to Carroll. The woman then verbally abused Cook and poured her drink over his top prompting him to throw a drink in her face.
Carroll then threw the contents of his own glass over Cook.
Gair said: “What happened was not a deliberate or reckless act but as a consequence of his throwing the drink.
“His hand was wet; his glass left his hand and it struck Mr Cook above his right eye.”
Sentencing Carroll, Judge Esmond Faulks said: “The prosecution accept you did not intend to injure Mr Cook, so that what happened to him was effectively an accident.
“In these unusual circumstances I can proceed to deal with you by way of a financial penalty.”
Andy Carroll is still awaiting proceedings for an incident involving his former girlfriend last weekend.
