Ex-city star questioned by police

13 December 2007 05:55

Premiership footballer and former Canaries midfielder Dickson Etuhu has been quizzed by police after a brawl in a Norwich nightclub, it emerged last night.

The £1.5m Nigerian international was arrested in the early hours of Sunday after the alleged incident in Mercy in Prince of Wales Road. Club goers looked on as he was taken away in a squad car before being questioned overnight. He was released on bail the following morning and officers continue to investigate.

The victim, a man aged in his thirties, lost his front teeth in the scuffle. Another man, believed to be a relative, was with Etuhu at the time. He was also arrested and bailed.

Etuhu, who moved from Norwich City to Sunderland in the summer, had appeared for his new club in their 2-0 defeat to Chelsea just hours before the fracas.

A police source told the EDP: “Dickson was in the club with a friend unwinding after the game. There was a confrontation after some kind of argument. One of the issues that is being looked at is the element of provocation leading up to the fight.”

The player, who regularly visits Norwich, is due to answer bail at Bethel Street police station in January. Any charges could scupper plans to turn out for his country in the African Nations Cup which takes place in Ghana during the same month.

Police spokesman Kristina Fox confirmed that a 25-year-old and 23-year-old were arrested at the nightclub at about 2.30am on Sunday. She would not comment on the identity of the suspects.

She said: “The victim suffered injuries to his mouth following the incident. Shortly before the incident there had been an altercation. We are keen to here from anyone who was in the club at the time and who may have seen what happened.”

Etuhu was signed for Norwich in 2005 by former manager Nigel Worthington and played 62 games for the club, scoring six goals.

His summer move to Roy Keane's Sunderland sparked controversy after the Canaries were forced to sell due to a release clause in his contract. There were mixed feelings among fans over his departure with some questioning his recent form for the club.

A spokesman for Sunderland FC was unavailable for comment.

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