Newcastle United star Craig Bellamy will appear in court this summer over claims he racially abused a nightclub bouncer.

The 23-year-old Welsh international is alleged to have made the racial slur to an Asian doorman. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) yesterday confirmed that the £6m striker will have to make a court appearance later this year.

A CPS spokesman said: "He will be summonsed for a public order offence, but he won't appear for quite some time yet.

"When the police have got their file of evidence together, they will discuss with the court to find the next available date. This will not be before July because the courts are fully booked until then.

"Once a date is agreed, the defendant will be expected to appear in court on that date."

The allegations concern an incident in the Millennium Plaza complex in Cardiff in the early hours of Monday, March 24.

The footballer voluntarily spoke to South Wales Police the day after and has so far not been charged. Bellamy was in his home town at the time with the Welsh squad, in the run up to a qualifying match for Euro 2004.

It is the latest in a line of incidents that have seen the player hit the headlines for the wrong reasons. During this season's Champions League campaign, he was fined £40,000 by Newcastle and banned for three European games after headbutting Dynamo Kiev's Tiberiu Ghioane.

And his behaviour on the pitch came under further scrutiny in November when he was sent off for clashing with Marco Materazzi during Inter Milan's 4-1 win at St James' Park. He was subsequently banned for another three games.

Northumbria Police also cautioned the controversial star after a woman claimed she was attacked outside a nightclub last year.

In November 2001, Bellamy was fined by his club and sent home, along with three teammates, from a training camp in Spain, after he failed to attend a dinner in honour of Newcastle president, Sir John Hall. ENDS