Father of Premier League international charged with sexual assault after alleged incident at Wetherspoons

A man in his 60s who is the father of a Premier League footballer has been charged with a single count of sexual assault following an alleged incident at a Wetherspoons pub earlier this year, the Crown Prosecution Service and media reports said.

Police received a complaint in March and, after an investigation that included the release of CCTV images to the public, the suspect handed himself in for questioning. A spokesman for the Crown Prosecution Service told national media that a man had been charged with one count of sexual assault and will appear at Sheffield magistrates' court next month.

Police said the alleged victim reported that the man approached her from behind and touched her inappropriately inside the establishment. Friends of the accused reportedly contacted him after the release of police CCTV images as part of an appeal for information, and he subsequently presented himself to officers and answered questions.

Media reports quoted an anonymous source describing the development as "a huge shock for everyone" and said the man denies any wrongdoing. The source added the man had co-operated with the police throughout the inquiry and had no previous police record.

The case was first made public after regional and national outlets reported the charge. The identity of the accused and his son, who is an international player in the Premier League, were not disclosed in those reports. No immediate public comment from the player, his club or the family was reported in the coverage.

Under the charge filed, the matter will proceed through the magistrates' court, where an initial hearing is expected. If the case is sent to a higher court, further proceedings would follow according to standard criminal justice procedures.

The police involvement after a March complaint and the later decision to charge reflect an investigation that included evidence-gathering and public appeals for information. The Crown Prosecution Service must have concluded there was sufficient evidence to charge and that prosecution was in the public interest, the agency's confirmation indicated.

Sexual assault allegations involving relatives of public figures often draw media attention because of the prominence of the family members. Prosecutors and police do not comment on the wider ramifications while the legal process is under way. The accused is entitled to a presumption of innocence until proven guilty in court.

A hearing date at Sheffield magistrates' court has been set for next month, according to the CPS confirmation reported by national media. Further details about the allegations or the evidence were not released in those reports.