BINGE-drinking former Ipswich Town striker David Johnson was today ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work after he smashed up his wife’s car and home in a drunken rage.
Johnson admitted smashing up his wife’s Mini Cooper, as well as windows and furnishings in the house in Musters Road in West Bridgford, Nottingham, on June 27 this year after he had been out drinking.
He had been married to Alison Johnson for 14 years and the pair had been childhood sweethearts since Johnson was 15.
Nottingham Magistrates’ Court heard the couple had separated in October 2009 after his wife found out Johnson had been having an affair. After this the 33-year-old started binge drinking.
The court heard that Mrs Johnson had been staying at a friend’s house when Johnson returned to her home and called her and her friend. He threatened to smash up the house and Mrs Johnson called the police.
When officers arrived they saw Johnson removing a chair that had been embedded in a window of the Mini and throw it through a window of the house. He was also thought to have urinated in the bedroom.
In mitigation Warwick Tatford said: “He was bitterly remorseful. He has stopped drinking now. He had not drunk alcohol since the event and intends never to drink again.”
Johnson was sentenced to a 12 month community order with 200 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay �300 in compensation to cover the excess on the house insurance and �85 in court costs.
Johnson, of River Crescent, Waterside Way, Colwick, has played for Manchester United, Bury, Ipswich Town and Nottingham Forest.
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