Thaindian News

London, Dec 23 (ANI): Football star Michael Ricketts has been arrested for attacking his girlfriend outside a restaurant after celebrating his 32nd birthday.

The 6ft 3ins former England striker struck Nuala McEwan before head-butting her twice, reports the Daily Mail.

The couple, who have been in a relationship for 8 years, had spent the evening of Saturday, December 4, at Amba Restaurant in the Hale area of Birmingham.

But things turned nasty after the pair rowed when Ricketts accused McEwan of being disloyal and of seeing somebody else.

“As we got outside he turned on me. I saw his hand come near me and I felt a bang and then he headbutted me. I fell back to the door and it was a blur,” McEwan said in a police statement.

The court heard that police officers, who were passing on patrol at the time, arrested Ricketts.

McEwan was left with a large bump on her head and bruising to her left eye.

Gwyn Lewis, defending, said that Ricketts was “extremely concerned” by the incident.

“He accepts he caused these injuries but it is completely out of character,” Lewis added.

“It was more out of recklessness than intent to cause injuries. The victim accepts that there was a certain element of provocation,” he said.

Officers from the domestic violence unit have spoken to McEwan, but she did not seek a restraining order and has attempted to retract her statement to police.

Ricketts will be sentenced at Trafford Magistrates’ Court on January 17, but was told to expect a community order. (ANI)