Player appears in court
A CHAMPIONSHIP footballer from Broughton Astley has appeared in court charged with inflicting grievous bodily harm after an alleged assault outside a Leicester nightclub.
Cardiff City midfielder Lee Tomlin, 28, of Speedwell Drive appeared before Leicester magistrates on Monday, alongside Accrington Stanley striker Billy Kee, 26, of Rothley Road, Mountsorrel.
The pair are alleged to have been involved in a fight outside Ghost Nightclub, in Market Place, in the early hours of January 22 this year, in which a man suffered a broken jaw.
They spoke only to confirm their names, addresses and pleas, with Kee pleading not guilty and Tomlin electing not to enter a plea at this stage.
The alleged incident happened the day after Tomlin had played for his former club Bristol City in a 1-0 defeat away to Nottingham Forest, and Kee had featured in Accrington’s 1-1 draw with Carlisle United.
Both men began their footballing careers as part of Leicester City’s youth set up.
Tomlin’s senior career has also featured spells at Rush- den & Diamonds, Peterborough United, Middlesborough and Bournemouth, with Cardiff signing him for £2.9million from Bristol in the summer.
Kee, who signed his first professional contract with the Foxes, has also played for Torquay United, Burton Albion and Scunthorpe United. Their next court appearance will be at Leicester Crown Court on Monday, October 16.