Former Sunderland and Arsenal striker in court on drugs charges after second police chase

Former Sunderland striker Anthony Stokes will appear in court this week after being charged with the possession of drugs for the purposes of sale and supply.

His appearance in court will come just hours after a second arrest relating to an alleged police pursuit on Tuesday January 31.

The 33-year-old was arrested on January 6 following dramatic high-speed chase in Dublin. He was suspected of dangerous driving and attempted to outrun the police rather than pulling over.

The police gave chase and soon discovered what they believed to be €4,000 worth of cocaine in the glove box.

Stokes will also face dangerous driving charges relating to the original offence.

The more recent offence took place in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with Stokes’ Volkswagen Golf failing to stop for gardei on the M50. Officers gave chase and, after a 20 minute pursuit, the vehicle was found abandoned in a housing estate.

Stokes, who played for Sunderland, Arsenal and Celtic among others, was found nearby after a search and arrested again. He has since been charged.

"Gardaí have arrested and charged a man in his 30s following an incident of dangerous driving in the Cabinteely area of Dublin,” a gardei spokesman said.

"He is due to appear before Dun Laoghaire District court at a later date."

There is also an arrest warrant issued for Stokes by Scottish police after he failed to attend a sentence hearing last September relating to breaking a court order preventing him from contacting a former girlfriend and her mother.

That is unconnected to the current charges in Dublin, though.

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