THE LIVERPOOL winger Stewart Downing has been arrested on suspicion of assault. The 27-year-old, who has 32 caps for England and joined Liverpool from Aston Villa last year, was arrested early yesterday morning after an alleged confrontation with a former girlfriend.
A police spokesman said yesterday afternoon: “Police were called to an incident at a pub on Yarm High Street shortly before 1am on Sunday, January 8th. A 27-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of assault and a 32-year-old woman has also been arrested on suspicion of assault. Both are in custody and inquiries are ongoing.”
Downing has had an inauspicious start to life at Liverpool after his move from Villa for a fee of around €19.5 million and had not scored or provided an assist until Friday’s 5-1 win over Oldham Athletic, when he got the final goal of the game. He has made 22 appearances for the club.
His arrest is the latest of several controversies to have rocked Liverpool this season, with the Uruguayan Luis Suarez receiving an eight-game ban for racially abusing Manchester United’s Patrice Evra and a fan being arrested for a racially aggravated public-order offence after an incident involving Oldham’s defender Tom Adeyemi in the FA Cup tie.
Liverpool last night issued a statement, saying: “Whatever the outcome of what is now a police investigation, all of us are deeply sorry for what happened on Friday night and our players and our club pass on our sincere regrets to Tom Adeyemi for the upset and distress he suffered.”
