Drunken footballer hurled bin at shop

Christopher Bettney, aged 29, of Central Avenue, Boythorpe, Chesterfield, pleaded guilty to five counts of criminal damage.

He jumped on three parked cars, attacked a man with a dustbin and hurled the bin at a shop door on a night out in Harrogate on August 4 local magistrates were told. The footballer, who now plays for Harrogate Town, caused 2,750 worth of damage.

Stuart Berry, defending, said Bettney feared some of his drinks may have been spiked that night.

Because of his football career Bettney was not usually an excessive drinker.

But prosecutor Sam Rogers said Bettney had admitted to police he had drunk six or seven pints of lager plus vodkas.

Mr Rogers said Bettney, father of children aged two and one - had 'walked over' a Peugeot 206 and a Seat Leon.

Egged on by team-mates, he picked up a plastic dustbin and threw it at the door of a Laura Ashley shop, damaging glass .

He retrieved the bin and threw it at a Vauxhall Omega, smashing off a wing mirror. He ignored pleas to stop from bystanders who had called police. He climbed on to a Vauxhall Corsa, grabbing hold of its rear spoiler and jumping up and down.

Mr Berry said: "He was with his team-mates and they had had a pre-season get-together. This would seem to be very much a one-off although he can't recall with any accuracy just what occurred."

Bettney regretted his actions and lack of common sense. He was bailed pending sentencing.

Bettney, a midfielder for Harrogate Town in Conference North, started his career with Sheffield United in 1996/7. He played for teams including Chesterfield and Worksop Town.