RICHARD Dunne and James Collins have been fined by Villa for their boozed-up antics at a recent team-bonding exercise set up by manager Gerard Houllier.

The defensive duo have accepted their punishment, believed to be the maximum two weeks’ wages, after the incident was dealt with internally by senior management at the club.

It is thought Villa wanted to impose bigger sanctions on the pair but the PFA needed to approve such a move for it to go ahead.

Houllier refused to talk in detail about the incident, which occurred on the morale-boosting trip to the Champneys spa resort in Leicestershire last week.

However, he said the club had ‘reacted strongly and quickly’ to their behaviour after the pair were asked to explain their actions at club disciplinary panels.

The Frenchman did not want to be involved in the sanction and said his thoughts were now firmly on tomorrow’s crunch game with Wolves.

“It has been dealt with internally, in-house and with people in the club, who are neutral,” he said.

“I did not want to be involved because I think it was better not to prejudice. I prefer to have neutral people.

“It was difficult for me to be involved in the investigation and give any kind of punishment.

“We all make mistakes and sometimes you have to be aware of that and deal with that and understand that they are young.

“The matter is over.”

The pair publicly apologised for their part in the trouble that broke out as the squad visited the hotel and spa complex last Wednesday night.