Sunderland Footballer Assaulted Women, Court Hears

A Premier League footballer is in court on charges of sexual assault.

Teesside Crown Court heard Titus Bramble, who plays for Sunderland, groped a woman in club and sexually assaulted another in a taxi, putting his hand on her leg and her hand over his crotch.

The offences are alleged to have happened in Yarm on September 28.

The court heard that the taxi driver drove to a police station with Mr Bramble in the car after becoming concerned about his behaviour.

He did so under the pretext that there was a problem with the fare, and once they reached the station, the woman locked herself in a toilet and refused to leave until she was sure the sportsman had left.

Shaun Dodds, prosecuting, said: "It is significant that we have here key witnesses who don't know each other and are both making separate and independent allegations against this defendant's sexual conduct in the early hours of 28 September."

The footballer denies he was the man who groped the first complainant’s buttock in Cross Keys bar at 1am in Yarm, Mr Dodds said.

Mr Bramble denies four counts of sexual assault.

The trial continues.

(NE)