NEWCASTLE United striker Andy Carroll was today fined £1,000 after admitting assaulting a man in a nightclub.

The 21-year-old pleaded guilty to common assault and was ordered to pay an additional £2,500 compensation at Newcastle Crown Court.

The victim suffered a head injury which required hospital treatment following the incident in the citys Blu Bambu club on December 7 last year.

Carroll had earlier denied assault occasioning actual bodily harm - a charge which was dropped when he pleaded guilty to the lesser offence.

The England Under-21 international is a regular in Newcastle United's first team and scored the winning goal in Saturday's Premier League victory over West Ham.

The Gateshead-born player is a product of the club's academy.

The footballer, who was Newcastle United's top scorer with 19 goals last season, glassed Michael Cook accidentally after hurling a drink in his face.

Mr Cook was left bruised and bleeding from a cut to his right eye.

Sentencing, Judge Esmond Faulks said: "The prosecution accept you did not intend to injure Mr Cook, so that what happened to him was effectively an accident.

"In these unusual circumstances I can proceed to deal with you by way of a financial penalty."

Carroll had been out drinking since 2pm on Sunday December 6 last year before heading the Blu Bambu nightclub in Newcastle's Bigg Market.

He continued drinking inside the nightclub and had drunk between eight and nine pints of lager before lashing out at Sunday League footballer Mr Cook, who was with a group of friends.

Mr Cook was squeezing through the drinkers and dancers in the crowd at about 1am when he spilled some of his drink on a young woman who was standing next to Carroll, prosecutor Peter Gair said.

She immediately began to verbally abuse Mr Cook and poured her drink over his top.

He retaliated by throwing his drink in her face.

It was then that Carroll hurled the contents of his glass over Mr Cook, smashing him the eye with the glass as he did so.

Mr Gair said: "What happened was not a deliberate or reckless act but as a consequence of his throwing the drink.

"His hand was wet; his glass left his hand and it struck Mr Cook above his right eye.

"The accidental blow inflicted a deep cut above Mr Cook's eyebrow."

Carroll was arrested and told police he had reacted after being abused in the nightclub and having two drinks thrown over him.

In mitigation, Stuart Driver told the court: "The fact he is a famous footballer gives him no advantage in this court room at all.

"In life it gives him opportunities and luxuries but it also brings with it unwanted attention and that is something he is going to have to learn to live with.

"He is a Gateshead boy. He loves the city of Newcastle and wants to live his life within it.

"Liquid was deliberately thrown but the glass accidentally travelled through the air due to the glass having been made wet."

The court heard that as a result of the pending court proceedings, Mr Cook had been forced to quit weekend football after receiving threats and abuse on the pitch and in and around the streets of Newcastle.

Carroll had in the past received a caution for causing actual bodily harm after he slapped a woman outside a nightclub in 2008, bruising her face.

The 6ft 3in forward, who was wearing a dark grey suit, spoke only to answer his name and to admit a single charge of common assault.

The player, who is living with Newcastle United club captain Kevin Nolan at the 28-year-olds home in Darras Hall, Northumberland, was ordered to pay £1,492 costs to the court and a victim surcharge of £15 in addition to his fine and the compensation.