Premier League footballer Adam Johnson (27) has been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under 16 and one of grooming.

The Sunderland player was charged with the offences after attending a police station to answer bail.

He was originally arrested and questioned over the claims in March and will appear at Peterlee Magistrates' Court in Durham next month.

Johnson cost the Wearside club stg£10m when he joined in 2012 and he has scored 17 goals for them.

Born in Sunderland, he has represented his country 12 times and has also played for Middlesbrough and Manchester City.

He has 12 caps for England, the last of which came in 2012, and has scored two goals for his country.

Following his arrest last month, he was taken out of the Sunderland side, but returned to the squad under new manager Dick Advocaat and made a substitute appearance against local rivals Newcastle United.