Premiership player arrested after snowball incident
A Premiership footballer has been arrested following an altercation with youths who were throwing snowballs, it emerged today.
Sunderland’s Swedish midfielder Stefan Schwarz was questioned over an allegation that he was involved in a row with two youths in a residential area on the outskirts of Newcastle upon Tyne.
The player, who signed from Arsenal in 1999 for £4m (€6m), allegedly stopped his car and chased the teenagers after snowballs were thrown at the vehicle on Sunday January 4.
One of the youths suffered a broken ankle while another received a “very minor” injury, police said today.
A Northumbria Police spokesman said the force received reports of a common assault outside Darras Hall First School near Ponteland.
He added: “A 34-year-old man from Ponteland has been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries.”
The Sunderland player has been capped 69 times for his country but has made only one first team appearance for Sunderland this season in the Worthington Cup.
When manager Howard Wilkinson joined the club last year, the experienced Swede agreed to help coach younger players but he has not retired from playing.
