Newcastle United's Nile Ranger has been convicted of two counts of assault against two police officers.

The 21-year-old forward has, however, been cleared of two counts of actual bodily harm on two members of the public.

Ranger was on a night out in Newcastle city centre with his cousin on 27 August last year. At about 2am he was approached by a group of white males and a confrontation ensued which resulted in Ranger, who is black, punching two of them.

But Newcastle crown court heard that the footballer had been the victim of racial taunts and that his actions were in self-defence. He fled the scene but when police tried to detain him, he twice pushed them away, causing minor injuries.

Ranger was given a 12-month conditional discharge and told to pay £750 to each officer.