LONDON: Former England footballer Paul Gascoigne has been charged with sexually assaulting a woman on board a train, British Transport Police said on Monday.
Gascoigne, 51, was charged with “one count of sexual assault by touching”, said a spokeswoman for the force.
The 51-year-old, who has struggled with alcoholism since he retired from top-flight football, was arrested at Durham station in northeast England on August 20.
He is due to appear in a magistrates’ court on December 11.
Gascoigne made his name with Newcastle before going on to play for Tottenham, Italian giants Lazio and several other teams including Glasgow Rangers.
The midfielder, widely regarded as one of the most talented players of his generation, was also a key member of the England side that reached the semi-finals of the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
He was one of the first big-name footballers to arrive in China when he made the shock decision to be a player-coach of second division Gansu Tianma in 2003 but he lasted just a handful of games.
