BURNLEY football player Wayne Thomas was given an 18-month conditional discharge after being found guilty of assaulting a police officer.

Thomas pushed Sergeant John D'Arcy as the officer ushered him into the tunnel at the end of his former club Stoke City's match at Millwall on February 19 last year.

The 26-year-old, of London Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, had denied assaulting the officer in the execution of his duty claiming he only pulled his arm away from him but admitted he may have sworn at him.

The defender had been accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress. The bench at Bexley Magistrates Court ordered that charge to be dismissed.

It had been claimed in court he gesticulated with his middle finger at the crowd from the dugout.

But asked about the allegation in court, Thomas said: "Never would I consider doing that in the presence of children."

And the former Stoke player denied assaulting Sergeant John D'Arcy at the end of the game.

He said though he may have sworn at the officer, he only pulled his arm away from him and did not make any contact with him.

Thomas told the court during the match, which Stoke won 1-0, he had been engaging in friendly banter with a young boy who was there with his father.

Thomas said he was doing an "easy, easy" chant, popularised on TV.

Thomas said he had clapped his hands twice above his head, saying "easy, easy", then pointing at the boy, saying: "You shut up."

Thomas said: "He was laughing and joking and doing it back to me."

At the end of the match, Thomas was making his way towards the tunnel when he noticed a couple of people coming towards the edge of the dugout.

One of them shouted a sexual insult about his mother but he responded by holding up his hands in a one and a zero to show the score.

As he went into the tunnel, he met Sergeant D'Arcy, who ushered him along, saying: "Come on, you're going."

"I said, What do you mean, I'm going?' "He said I've had enough of you, you're going'.

"I said I'm a player, don't touch me, I'm going in here'. I pulled my arm away from him."

He said he may have sworn at him but he said he did not make contact.

"I made sure everything was away from the officer, because I know if you do touch a police officer, you can be arrested for assault."

Thomas said he had been offered a caution by police. The defender looked composed as Judge Anthony Woodcock passed sentence.