A former Burton Albion footballer has appeared in court for his role in a fight outside a city nightclub.
Striker Billy Kee, who played for the Brewers from 2011 to 2014 before he left to join Scunthorpe United, was sentenced alongside Cardiff City midfielder Lee Tomlin following a fight outside Leicester nightclub Ghost.
Kee, 26, who now plays for League Two Accrington Stanley, was fined £350 for throwing a punch during the fight, which was captured on CCTV.
Tomlin, aged 28, was handed 80 hours of community service for his part in an early-hours brawl which left a man with a badly broken jaw.
Leicester Crown Court was told Kee, of Rothley Road, Mountsorrel, was pleading guilty to common assault.
Tomlin, of Speedwell Drive, Broughton Astley, admitted affray after prosecutors decided not to proceed with a charge of wounding following a review of footage showing the victim squaring up to the players after jumping over a set of railings.
Kee attempted to pull his friend Tomlin away from the confrontation in the city centre on January 22, the court was told.
Both players had been accused of causing grievous bodily harm but were cleared of the charge on the orders of the judge.
Prosecutor Ian Way accepted that the complainant - who spent three days in hospital and had a metal plate inserted to stabilise a displaced jaw fracture - had "contributed" to what happened.
CCTV clips presented to the court showed Kee trying to pull Tomlin away from the scene before throwing a single punch towards the victim's head.
Tomlin struck out twice at the victim during a subsequent fracas in which a bystander removed his belt, Mr Way said.
Mr Way told the court: "At about 3.30am the complainant and his friend went outside the club to the smoking area, which is near a waist-high set of railings.
"At that point they went over the fence and met face to face with the defendants and their group.
"There was an argument and the next thing [the victim] remembers is a heavy blow."
Handing Tomlin a 12-month community order and a bill for £500 in prosecution costs, Judge Ebraham Mooncey told the footballers: "The position is that on the night that we are considering both of you had been out for the evening.
"You accept that you were drinking. You [Tomlin] are fearful your drinks may have been interfered with."
The judge said of the events filmed near and outside the club: "There is conversation taking place and it's apparent very quickly that it's not pleasant conversation.
"Both of you don't appear to be completely sober."
Kee, whose barrister claimed the player's actions were "very close" to lawful self-defence, was ordered to pay £150 in court costs.
The judge told Kee: "I accept your role was to try to placate matters. Because of the conduct of other people you misbehaved and did throw a punch."
Former Middlesbrough forward Tomlin and Kee both began their careers in Leicester City's youth set-up.
Tomlin's lawyer, Chris Daw QC, said the player had received verbal abuse inside the nightclub.
"He deeply regrets having become involved at all," the barrister told the court.
"He has learned a very stark lesson."
Philip Holden, offering mitigation for Kee, said: "He was looking after Mr Tomlin and trying to pull him away from an incident that was developing.
"In interview, he gave an accurate account of what had occurred."
Billy Kee's time at the Brewers
Billy Kee joined the Brewers from Torquay United for around £20,000 in the summer of 2011, and it didn’t take long for the fans to warm to the striker after he top-scored that season with 12 goals alongside Calvin Zola.
A further 14 goals in back-to-back seasons helped fire the Brewers to the brink of promotion under former boss Gary Rowett, with play-off final and semi-final appearances ultimately ending in heartbreak.
Despite an injury-hit time with Albion, the front-man notched 42 goals and made more than 100 appearances during his stint at the Pirelli Stadium, and helped the Brewers to consolidate their status as a Football League club.
Kee departed Burton in August 2014 citing the need for "a new challenge" and has since settled at Accrington Stanley, notching 52 goals in 152 appearances for the Lancashire side.
