Town striker Paul Taylor was given a 24-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months at Ipswich Crown Court this afternoon, having previously pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm relating to an incident at the Robert Ransome pub in October last year.

The 25-year-old, who lives in Rendlesham, was also ordered to pay compensation of £7,000 to doorman Shaun Grey, the victim of the assault, and £750 in costs.

Taylor’s friend Olatunde Ademuyiwa, 24, from Liverpool like the striker, who had also pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm on Grey as well as the assault by beating of Gary Harper, another doorman, was sentenced to 34 weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, and 120 hours of community work.

Contrary to previous reports, it was revealed that Taylor has three previous convictions, while Ademuyiwa has 17, including some for dishonesty and drugs offences.

Sentencing, Judge John Devaux said: "This was an ugly incident. This was a public place in the early hours of the morning and you were both fueled by alcohol.''

Jodie Twitchett, Taylor’s girlfriend, pregnant at the time of the incident, previously also admitted to assaulting Harper and was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Prosecutor Michael Crimp outlined the incident in which Grey, who has been unable to work since the assault, broke a finger, bruised a cheekbone and lost a tooth: "Mr Grey had asked the men to drink up as it was approaching midnight. At 12.15am they tried to leave the pub with their glasses but were told they couldn't.

"Mr Taylor asked what they were going to do about it and swore so Mr Grey took the glass from his hand and a struggle took place.''

Taylor hit Grey in the face as the pair were ejected while other punches were also thrown.

Mitigating, Simon Spence said Taylor's long-term foot injury may have played some part: "The fact he wasn't able to play was perhaps a source of frustration which led to his behaviour that night.

"He is a young man with a promising career ahead of him and he is looking to put this incident behind him.''

He added: "As a young man in Liverpool, Mr Taylor mixed with the wrong people. He made a conscious decision to leave that life behind and pursue the talent that he had by way of a career as a footballer.

"Through no fault of his, he suffered an injury which has meant he has not be able to play properly for Ipswich.

"He has managed to leave that injury behind and is considered match fit for the season starting in August.

"Being in the public eye means the club itself expects certain levels of behaviour from its players and disciplinary action has been taken by the club and punishment handed out.''

Mitigating for Ademuyiwa, Juliet Donovan said: "He spends a lot of time with Mr Taylor to get away from the wrong crowd.

"They have been inseparable since the age of 11 and he regularly visits Mr Taylor. He says he got involved in the fight to assist Mr Taylor.''

Taylor was back training with the rest of the Town squad at Playford Road yesterday, having missed most of last season with the foot injury which he sustained only three games after he joined the Blues from Peterborough for an initial fee of £1.5 million last August.

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