Fucking disgraceful journalism from our own Chronnie. My hackles have well and truly risen:

A student attacked by Newcastle United bad boy star Craig Bellamy was in hiding today.

The Chronicle can reveal Charlotte Smith, 21, was punched and kicked to the ground during the late-night bust-up involving four United players.

Today £6 million striker Bellamy faces disciplinary action from the club after being cautioned by police for common assault.

NUFC chairman Freddy Shepherd said: "We're aware of the allegations which have been made against certain of our players and shall be conducting our own internal investigation immediately. At present the club has nothing further to say on the matter."

Ms Smith is believed to have left Newcastle late yesterday after Bellamy was cautioned.

Team-mates Carl Cort, Wayne Quinn and Kieron Dyer were also questioned as witnesses to the fracas after a night out on Newcastle's Quayside.

Distraught Ms Smith, a university undergraduate, claimed she was punched to the ground then kicked.

The assault happened after she and her two girl student flatmates had accepted a lift from the players who were in Dyer's silver S320 Mercedes, being driven by the England midfielder.

The attack happened at Mariner's Wharf, St Peter's Basin, when the car stopped to let out Quinn, who lives nearby in a palatial apartment.

Ms Smith and her friends had enjoyed a Monday night out at the popular nightspot, Sea, on the Quayside.

It is understood Cort, Quinn and Bellamy had been out for a few drinks and Dyer had returned from Suffolk, where he had been visiting his family, to pick them up.

He was said to have acted as the "peace maker" during the incident and had not been drinking.

Cort and some of the players had earlier chatted with the women in the club.

The students had left in the early hours and were waiting in a taxi queue when Dyer's car pulled up and they got in.

Two of the girls sat in the back seat with two players, and one girl sat on Cort's knee on the front seat while Dyer drove off.

The night ended with Ms Smith being punched and then kicked as she lay on the ground.

Controversial midfielder Dyer, 22, who has hit the headlines for a series of off-the-field incidents in his private life, was said to have "acted like a gentleman".

The Chronicle can reveal Dyer and Cort were questioned as witnesses at St James's Park last night by city centre detectives who had arranged with club officials to speak to the players.

Quinn was also questioned before Bellamy was formally cautioned for the offence.

United officials were notified of the police investigation earlier this week and arrangements were made for the players to help in the inquiry.

A distressed Ms Smith, who shares a terraced house on the outskirts of Newcastle city centre, went to Market Street police station at 3.20am on Tuesday to report the incident.

Although shaken, she did not need hospital treatment and suffered no serious injuries.

The women friends checked pictures on the Newcastle United internet website at home after the alleged assault to help them identify the players before they went to the police station to report the incident.

Today Ms Smith, who shares a student house with two women and a man, refused to talk about her ordeal.

One of her friends, who was with her on the night of the attack, said Ms Smith had been left shaken by the assault.

She said: "Charlotte doesn't want to talk about what happened; it's too difficult.

"There's nothing we want to say. She doesn't want to talk to anyone about it. The police are dealing with it."

Later, another friend told the Chronicle Ms Smith had left the Newcastle area to return home to her parents.

He said: "Charlotte is not here. She's gone away.

"She's no longer in the Newcastle area."

Further callers to the house were turned away and the curtains remained firmly shut this morning.

A Northumbria Police spokeswoman said: "As a result of inquiries into an allegation of assault by a 21-year-old female, police have questioned and cautioned Newcastle United footballer Craig Bellamy for the offence of common assault.

"The original incident happened in the early hours of February 5."

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Answers

I bet Alan Oliver will have trouble getting stories and interviews now. Talk about fuelling the fire - it's a disgrace.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

anyone feel a Ronnie Gill boycott coming on? I've stopped buying it

Mind you that's 'cos I live 350 miles away ;-)

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

I understand, just from browsing on another BB, that this report is the work of the regular news journos as opposed to the sports ones, and they have well and truly pissed on their colleagues' chips.

Consequently, all hell has broken loose at Trinity house because the sports correspondents' will be lucky not to lose their contacts at NUFC.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

That's the piece I was referring to on the Bellamy thread. I'm amazed someone actually gets paid to write something like that. Or worse, that an editor would allow it to be published.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2002

Just looking at tabloids on web this am before setting off - this Chron story is lifted direct and presented as the Sun's. Well done Chron for doing the southern journos job for them.

This bit about the 'attack' - how can they say he hit her in the face! There is no way he would have got a caution for that.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Whatever went on, I wonder what Mrs Cort of queue jumping fame, and also Mrs Bellamy will be saying to their husbands this morning?

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002

Lawrenson was interviewed on Look North yesterday, talking out of his arse as usual. In fact if it wasn't for the moustache one might have thought he was mooning into the camera.

Said it didn't happen in his day and that if people like Bellamy had been brought up better by their parents it wouldn't happen now.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2002