NEWCASTLE United striker Andy Carroll is to move in with his club captain for the next three months after appearing in court charged with assaulting an ex-girlfriend.

The 21-year-old centre forward was arrested on Sunday morning and charged with assaulting 18-year-old Laurie Henderson at her home in Ponteland, Northumberland.

The England Under-21 player appeared before Tynedale Magistrates’ Court, in Hexham, Northumberland, yesterday wearing jeans and a dark hooded top.

He was charged with assaulting Miss Henderson sometime after 4.30am on Sunday, only hours after Mr Carroll had played for Newcastle in their 2-2 Premier League draw with Wigan Athletic.

Following an hour-long court hearing, the Gatesheadborn footballer was granted conditional bail to live with Magpies’ captain Kevin Nolan at his family home, also in Ponteland, a 15-minute walk from the complainant’s address.

Magistrates agreed Mr Carroll does not have to stay overnight at Mr Nolan’s home when Newcastle are playing.

The player was also told he must not contact any prosecution witnesses.

The court was told that Mr Carroll, who gave his address as the Jesmond Dene Hotel, in Newcastle, will deny the offence and claim self-defence.

The case was adjourned until January 10 and Mr Carroll was whisked away from court in a people carrier with blacked-out windows.

Carroll made his Newcastle debut aged 17 and made just a handful of appearances before the Magpies’ relegation at the end of the 2008-9 season.

However, after 19 goals in their promotion season, Carroll was awarded Newcastle’s famous number nine shirt and was tipped for an England callup after four goals in his first three games back in the Premier League.

Despite a dip in form over recent weeks, which saw him dropped for Newcastle’s match at Manchester City and overlooked for England’s Euro 2012 qualifier against Montenegro, Carroll signed a lucrative fiveyear deal which will keep him at Newcastle until 2015.