5:47PM, Mon Oct 15, 2012

Ranger guilty of assaults

Nile Ranger: Newcastle striker given conditional discharge

But the 21-year-old was cleared of two counts of actual bodily harm on two members of the public following a night out in Newcastle city centre on 27 August, 2011.

Ranger, who was out with his cousin, was approached by a group of white males at about 2am and a confrontation ensued which resulted in Ranger punching two of them.

But Newcastle Crown Court heard that the footballer had been the victim of racial taunts and that his actions were in self-defence.

He fled the scene but, when police tried to detain him, he twice pushed them away, causing minor injuries.

He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and told to pay £750 to each officer.