Kerry Dixon jailed: Former Chelsea and England striker sentenced to nine months in jail for pub assault

Dixon was found guilty of attacking another drinker in the Nags Head in Dunstable

Former Chelsea striker Kerry Dixon has been sentenced to nine months in jail (PA)

Former Chelsea striker Kerry Dixon has been sentenced to nine months in jail after being found guilty of assaulting a man in a pub.

Judge Barbara Mensah said that the violence used by the ex-England international was "disproportionate, unnecessary and completely over the top” at his sentencing at Luton Crown Court.

Dixon denied attacking another man in the Nags Head Pub in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, who had been sitting on a bar stool. CCTV revealed that the victim Ben Scoble, 38, had been punched off the stool in the early hours of 15 May 2014, and then been subjected to a flurry of blows when on the floor.

The judge said the shocking footage showed how Mr Dixon launched at attack "out of the blue", which had drawn "a gasp" from jurors when first played to the court during his trial last week.

"You were not just striking him, knocking him off his bar stool, but continuing to strike him when he was on the ground," she said.

"Then you continued to pummel him on the ground."

Kerry Dixon in 1985 (GETTY IMAGES)

Dixon, who played for Luton Town, Reading, Southampton, Millwall, and Doncaster Rovers, and earned eight caps for England, had pleaded not guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He alleged he had acted in self-defence, however, Dixon, from Dunstable, was convicted by a jury after a five-day hearing with the judge describing the attack as "completely unprovoked".

Dixon scored 147 goals for Chelsea during a nine-year spell with the Blues, and also played for Southampton and his hometown club Luton Town.

He made eight appearances for his country, scoring four goals, before retiring from the game in 1997.

Additional reporting by PA