West Ham Defender Fined For Assaulting Police Officer

29 September 2014, 13:34 | Updated: 29 September 2014, 17:08

West Ham defender James Tomkins has been ordered to pay more than £7500 after he assaulted a police officer outside the Sugar Hut nightclub in Brentwood.

The Premier League footballer pleaded guilty to assaulting a police constable, being drunk and disorderly in a public place and obstructing a constable outside the club on a night back in December.

Martin Everett, chair of the bench at Southend Magistrates' Court, told him "it is a late guilty plea but it has saved the court a trial and witnesses".

Tomkins was fined £3,500 for the assault and was also ordered to pay £3,785 court costs, £200 compensation to the police officer and a £120 victim surcharge.

He was told there would be no further penalty for the other offences

The 25-year-old, who is from Hutton Mount in Shenfield, had been partying at the club made famous by the ITV2 series The Only Way Is Essex.

Mr Everett told Tomkins, who stood quietly in the dock during sentencing, that "this is a blot on your character".

He also said he had "no doubt" that West Ham "will take their own action" to punish him.

Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service in the East of England, Frank Ferguson said: "We are pleased with the outcome of today's hearing, which demonstrates that no-one is above the law and that each case is dealt with on its own merits."