A Liverpool footballer kicked a woman to the ground in a city centre row.
John Welsh attacked Janette Gavin after bumping into her and her partner in the Victoria Street area while on a night out with his brothers on March 24, 2018.
Liverpool Crown Court heard the midfielder had verbally abused the 57-year-old and her partner Eileen Phealey before a row ensued between the two parties.
He proceeded to kick Ms Gavin in the right leg, sending her to the floor.
Claire Jones, prosecuting, told the court: “He said ‘I can do what I f***ing want’ and words to the effect of ‘don’t you tell me what to do, I will do whatever I want. Don’t you know who I am’ and said he could find out where they live.”
Ms Gavin suffered a fractured leg in the incident, which took place at 3.20am on the day in question, while Welsh suffered a lip injury after being punched.
In court the father-of-three, who played for previously Liverpool, Tranmere Rovers and Preston North End, pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm.
He was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, ordered to wear an electronic tag for three months and carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
Recorder Simon Killeen also instructed him to pay £2,000 in compensation.
“On March 24, 2018 you were in Liverpool city centre at 3.20am and were clearly drunk having consumed 11 pints of shandy,” he told Welsh.
“You become involved in an altercation with two ladies – it was as much your fault as theirs but what is your fault is that, after that initial coming together, you kicked one of these ladies with such force to the leg that you fractured her leg.”
Welsh, 35, made 10 appearances for Liverpool between 2002 and 2005 including as a substitute in the club’s run to the Champions League final in Istanbul.