NEWCASTLE United striker Nile Ranger could face missing two Premier League games after a judge ordered him to stay out of the city centre at night.
The London-born striker was told he must stay out of Newcastle City Centre between 9pm and 7am as a condition of his bail after pleading not guilty to four counts of assault and a separate charge of being drunk and disorderly.
The 20-year-old of Forest Hall, North Tyneside, appeared before District Judge Stephen Earl at the city’s magistrates’ court yesterday.
He denied two counts of common assault and two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm following a scuffle in Newcastle city centre in the early hours of Saturday, August 27.
Ranger was arrested after police found a 33-year-old man unconscious outside Cosy Joe’s bar in the city during the early hours. He was later charged for the alleged assault of two revellers and two police officers.
Ranger also pleaded not guilty to being drunk and disorderly on Sunday, October 30, after allegedly arguing with his girlfriend in the city’s Cathedral Square near Tup Tup Palace nightclub.
District Judge Earl warned the striker to stay out of the city centre until he next appears before magistrates on January 13.
“I am concerned that what we have at the end of the day are allegations of drunken aggressive behaviour at night,” said District Judge Earl. The new bail condition means if he is selected to play he will now be forced to miss the December 21 home game against West Brom, which has a 7.45pm kick-off, and the Newcastle United v Manchester United match on January 4, which has a 8pm kick-off.
Ranger will next appear before magistrates on January 13 next year when the charges relating to assaults on August 27 will be sent to Newcastle Crown Court.
A trial will also be held on January 13 to deal with Ranger’s drunk and disorderly charge from October 30.
The striker, who has only just been reinstated to first team training after a three-month exile in the Newcastle United reserves, was told to find a new club in the summer after several warnings about his discipline.
