Lewis Beard jailed for assaulting Paul Gascoigne in hotel row

A man has been jailed for assaulting Paul Gascoigne at a hotel in east London.

Lewis Beard was sentenced to 23 weeks' imprisonment after pleading guilty to attacking the former footballer last December.

The 27-year-old was ordered to pay £7,800 in compensation and £650 in court costs.

Gascoigne claimed he was left with a fractured skull and two broken fingers after being "kicked down the stairs" during the incident at the Ace Hotel in Shoreditch.

Following the sentencing at Stratford Magistrates' Court on Friday, Detective Constable Lee Jackson said: "The victim required hospital treatment after he was knocked down some stairs at the hotel by Beard.

"Despite initially denying the assault, he had no option but to plead guilty.

"The custodial sentence passed on by the courts shows that violent behaviour will not be tolerated."

Gascoigne, a former player for Newcastle United and Tottenham who earned 57 England caps during his career, has suffered from alcoholism for more than 20 years.

Following the assault, the 50-year-old returned to rehab to help him stay "alcohol free" this year.

Back in January, his spokesman Terry Baker said: "He is making a serious effort to get free of his demons and trying to become alcohol free in 2017."