Newcastle United striker Nile Ranger has been convicted of assaulting two police officers after admitting to the charge.
The player has been given a 12-month conditional discharge and is to pay compensation for the officers whom he had assaulted during an altercation while on a night out.
The 21-year old was initially charged with actual bodily harm of two other individuals on the same night, but these charges were dropped after enhanced CCTV footage revealed the player acted in self-defence.
However, he was guilty of assaulting two police officers who had attempted to detain him after he fled the initial incident, causing minor injuries to both.
The striker has been ordered to pay £750 to each officer after the hearing at Newcastle Crown Court yesterday. The judge who presided the hearing has allowed Ranger leniency if he stays out of trouble for the next year. Judge John Evans said:
“The picture that the court is presented with is very different to that which was first contemplated. The prosecution have had the opportunity of considering the CCTV footage and it shows a different picture to what was first understood.”
"I cannot know what happened that night, only those involved know that. After the confrontation, you delivered two pushes to the police officers, who suffered limited injuries.”
"It has been going on now for a year and I accept during that time you will have attracted quite a deal of publicity that may well have impacted your life."
Ranger joined the Magpies on a free transfer in 2009 after he was released by Southampton for continuous bad behaviour and reckless conduct. This involved an incident of stealing kit belonging to the first team.
The player is also a former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/England-c749 youth international and has served loan spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley after he failed to make an impact with the first team. Ranger is under contract with the club till 2016 after he signed a five-year extension back in December 2010.
Manager http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Alan-c4244 Pardew is understood to be upset and tired of Ranger’s persistent bad behaviour and conduct. The manager recently spoke at a fans dinner and said that he will never allow Ranger to play for the club while he is in charge.
Tags: