Former England footballer jailed

Gary Charles attacked a woman in a taxi office

A former England footballer has been jailed after he drunkenly threatened a bouncer while serving a suspended sentence for another assault.

Gary Charles, 36, of Stretton, near Alfreton, Derbyshire, admitted a public order offence by threatening a doorman with an imaginary knife.

He was jailed for 12 months at Derby Crown Court.

The former Nottingham Forest right-back had been given a suspended sentence for an assault on a woman in 2005.

Prison warning

Derby Crown Court was told Charles had previously been found guilty of assault occasioning actual bodily harm after a three-day trial in July.

The court had heard how he attacked a woman after she joked he was not good enough to play for Manchester United.

He repeatedly kicked her in the face and head in the 2005 assault.

Charles had been warned he would go to prison if he committed another similar offence, or failed to carry out 100 hours of community work.

To get himself alcohol-free will be a real struggle for Mr Charles Hal Ewing, defending

In sentencing, Judge Andrew Hamilton said: "There really does come a time when the police and everyone else have to have a rest from Gary Charles.

"I hope it knocks some sense into his head."

In mitigation, Hal Ewing, defending, said his client had made progress in battling his alcohol addiction, despite this latest incident.

"He's an alcoholic and has been for many years.

"To get himself alcohol-free will be a real struggle for Mr Charles. However, he has made great strides towards doing that."

Charles played for Derby, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa and retired in 2002.