Paul Gascoigne in court charged with sexual assault

Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has arrived at court, where he is charged with sexually assaulting a woman by kissing her on a train.

The 51-year-old was arrested while travelling from York to Newcastle on August 20 and was later charged with sexual assault by touching, British Transport Police said.

The alleged incident was said to have happened at Darlington and to have involved him kissing a woman over the age of 16.

Gascoigne appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court last month to enter a not guilty plea.

He elected to be tried by a jury and his case was sent to Teesside Crown Court where he is appearing before the most senior judge, The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC.

The case was listed for plea and trial preparation.

Gascoigne, who played for Newcastle United, Spurs, Lazio, Rangers, Middlesbrough and Everton, among other clubs, previously protested his innocence on Twitter, saying he had stepped in to comfort a woman after she was called a “fat cow”.