A JUDGE has criticised the use of "bladed" football boots made famous by David Beckham after a player was seriously injured during a charity match.

Judge David Bryant described the Adidas boot, which uses bladed studs and can be metal tipped, as "offensive weapons on feet" and called for a Football Association investigation.

Teesside Crown Court was told how Jonathan Brown was wearing the boots when he lashed out at Terence Riordan during a match played by two teams from the Fighting Cocks pub, in Middleton St George, near Darlington, in aid of victims of the Asian tsunami.

Richard Bennett, prosecuting, said Mr Riordan, who was managing one of the teams and had arranged the match, had apologised to Brown after bringing him down.

As both men were on the ground, Brown kicked out at Mr Riordan's face causing severe cuts, which later required stitches.

Mr Riordan, 50, of Middleton St George, received immediate treatment from a doctor who was playing in the match and was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees.

The match, on January 2, in Long Newton, near Stockton, was abandoned.

Brown, 28, of Hartington Way, Darlington, admitted unlawful wounding.

Johnny Walker, for Brown, said his client had not been in trouble before and had suffered a loss of self control.

Judge Bryant sentenced Brown to a 180-hour community punishment order. He also told him to pay £2,000 compensation.

Of the bladed boots he said it would be a clear abdication of the FA's responsibility if it did not carry out an investigation into their use as soon as possible.

* Earlier this month, Manchester United banned its players from wearing the bladed boots made by Adidas and other manufacturers for fear they would cause injury.

Adidas said football governing body FIFA had found the blades to be safe.

The FA said it had to abide by FIFA's ruling, but said it continued to urge referees to check studs before matches.