• Sunderland winger charged with three sex offences • Also charged with one of grooming, say Durham police

The Sunderland winger Adam Johnson has been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under 16 and one of grooming.

The 27-year-old player attended a police station to answer his bail, where he was charged, Durham police said. He was initially arrested on Monday 2 March and will appear at Peterlee magistrates court in County Durham on 20 May.

“Following an investigation by Durham police, I have today authorised police to charge Adam Johnson, aged 27, with four offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003,” said Gerry Wareham, the chief crown prosecutor for the north-east, in a statement. “The offences are alleged to have been committed on one girl aged 15 at the time.”

The winger, who has played 12 times for England, was initially suspended and then reinstated by his club after being arrested at his mansion in Castle Eden, County Durham.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Adam Johnson attends a Liverpool police station to answer bail

After his bail was previously extended by police, the decision was taken to allow him to return to play for Sunderland while the investigation continued.

Johnson, who was born in Easington, began his career at Middlesbrough – where he made his debut in 2005 – and had loan spells at Leeds United and Watford before moving to Manchester City in 2010 for £7m. He returned to the north-east in 2012 following a difficult spell with City, when Sunderland signed him for £10m.

The winger has played for England 12 times, scoring twice, although he has never been selected in a major tournament squad for the World Cup or European Championship. His last appearance for the national team came in August 2012, when England beat Italy 2-1 in a friendly under Roy Hodgson.

He scored the winning goal in the Tyne-Wear derby against Newcastle this season. Although his form for Sunderland has been inconsistent since returning to the north-east, he is regarded as an important member of a squad fighting to avoid relegation from the Premier League.