A professional footballer from Epsom who left a pub victim with a fractured eye socket when he and two pals started a “riot” was spared jail on Monday.

Abu Ogogo, 20, who plays as a right back for Dagenham and Redbridge, was given a suspended sentence at Croydon Crown Court after pleading guilty to assault.

During a clash with two cricketers, Ogogo punched one in the face and kicked the other after he was knocked to the floor in a Croydon night-spot, the court heard.

The Chetwood Drive resident, who was on Arsenal's books at the time, pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm (GBH) on Thomas Peach and assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH) on Adam Prickett, on August 9, 2008.

The court heard how trouble started at the Walkabout bar when ice cubes were thrown at the defendant.

He punched Mr Prickett in the face, causing a 2cm cut under the left eye, and joined in kicking Mr Peach, who suffered a fractured eye socket.

Judge Timothy Stow QC told him: "This was an extremely unpleasant incident in this pub and there is far too much of this violence, usually fuelled by alcohol.

"It was a sort of riot at the Walkabout in which people were injured as a result of your joint actions."

He sentenced Ogogo to eight months' imprisonment, suspended for eighteen months and ordered him to perform 120 hours unpaid community service work.

Ogogo must pay £4,000 compensation to Mr Peach, £750 compensation to Mr Prickett and £1,200 costs.

Ogogo's co-defendants Jake Butler, 20, and Scott Roberts, 21, will be sentenced on June 11.