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Former Chelsea and England striker Kerry Dixon has been jailed for nine months for a "sickening" attack on a drinker who allegedly called him "fatso" in a pub.
Dixon, 53, struck Ben Scoble, 38, several times before he fell to the ground during a row over a bar stool at the Nags Head pub in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
The ex-footballer then continued to hit the father-of-two as he lay on the floor.
Dixon had a glittering career in football, becoming Chelsea’s third-highest goal scorer, before his fall from grace following gambling problems.
The "unprovoked" attack on May 15 last year was caught on CCTV and was described by the judge at Luton Crown Court as "shocking and sickening to watch".
Judge Barbara Mensah branded the violence "disproportionate, unnecessary and completely over the top".
She said: "You were not just striking him, knocking him off his bar stool, but continuing to strike him when he was on the ground. Then you continued to pummel him on the ground."
On the night of the attack Dixon had a run-in with his victim in the pub's toilet, where he claimed Mr Scoble made disparaging comments towards him.
He told the builder to "leave it out" but things turned violent when their paths crossed again when Mr Scoble sat in Dixon's seat at the bar.
The judge said: "At worst, on your account, all he says to you after this brief exchange that he ought to sit somewhere else, is 'f*** off, fatso'."
She added: "It's absolutely clear to me, if he did say those words - because this was CCTV without words - he didn't move, seek to strike, or get off the chair."
In his defence, Dixon said he feared being glassed because of the fracas but the judge questioned why he had gone over to Mr Scoble if that was the case.
Judge Mensah went on: "Out of the blue, as we see on CCTV, we see you still very annoyed immediately strike Mr Scoble.
"You were annoyed and clearly going to teach him a lesson."
Since his football career ended, Dixon, who earned eight caps for England, has taken up work as a labourer to make ends meet for him and his partner and is now living in a council house.
He is seeking help for his gambling and debt problems, according to his lawyer.
Dixon, 53, struck Ben Scoble, 38, several times before he fell to the ground during a row over a bar stool at the Nags Head pub in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.
The ex-footballer then continued to hit the father-of-two as he lay on the floor.
Dixon had a glittering career in football, becoming Chelsea’s third-highest goal scorer, before his fall from grace following gambling problems.
The "unprovoked" attack on May 15 last year was caught on CCTV and was described by the judge at Luton Crown Court as "shocking and sickening to watch".
Judge Barbara Mensah branded the violence "disproportionate, unnecessary and completely over the top".
She said: "You were not just striking him, knocking him off his bar stool, but continuing to strike him when he was on the ground. Then you continued to pummel him on the ground."
On the night of the attack Dixon had a run-in with his victim in the pub's toilet, where he claimed Mr Scoble made disparaging comments towards him.
He told the builder to "leave it out" but things turned violent when their paths crossed again when Mr Scoble sat in Dixon's seat at the bar.
The judge said: "At worst, on your account, all he says to you after this brief exchange that he ought to sit somewhere else, is 'f*** off, fatso'."
She added: "It's absolutely clear to me, if he did say those words - because this was CCTV without words - he didn't move, seek to strike, or get off the chair."
In his defence, Dixon said he feared being glassed because of the fracas but the judge questioned why he had gone over to Mr Scoble if that was the case.
Judge Mensah went on: "Out of the blue, as we see on CCTV, we see you still very annoyed immediately strike Mr Scoble.
"You were annoyed and clearly going to teach him a lesson."
Since his football career ended, Dixon, who earned eight caps for England, has taken up work as a labourer to make ends meet for him and his partner and is now living in a council house.
He is seeking help for his gambling and debt problems, according to his lawyer.