article: Adam Johnson has been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl and one of grooming. The 27-year-old – who answered bail at Peterlee police station in County Durham on Thursday – will now appear at Peterlee Magistrates Court on May 20. A statement from Durham Police said: ‘Adam Johnson, a professional footballer aged 27 from Castle Eden, County Durham has this afternoon been charged with three offences of sexual activity with a child under 16 years old, plus one offence of grooming. Adam Johnson leaves Peterlee police station after being charged with three offences of sexual activity . Johnson leaves the Peterlee police station after learning of the charges against him . Johnson will now appear at Peterlee Magistrates Court on May 20 . The 27-year-old looks on during Sunderland's 1-0 Premier League win against Newcastle earlier this month . ‘Johnson was initially arrested on Monday, 2nd March and was charged after he answered his police bail today (Thursday) at Peterlee police station. ‘He will appear at the magistrates court in Peterlee on the morning of Wednesday, May 20th.’ Gerry Wareham, CPS Chief Crown Prosecutor for the North East, said he believed there was a realistic prospect of conviction and it was in the public interest for him to be charged. 'Following an investigation by Durham Police, I have today authorised police to charge Adam Johnson, aged 27, with four offences under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. The offences are alleged to have been committed on one girl aged 15 at the time,' he said. 'Adam Johnson was arrested on 2 March this year. 'We have reviewed the available evidence in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and concluded that there is a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest to charge Adam Johnson with one offence of meeting a child following sexual grooming, contrary to Section 15 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and three offences of sexual activity with a child, contrary to Section 9 of the Sexual Offence Act 2003. The alleged offences date from 30 December 2014 to 26 February 2015. Johnson was accompanied by his lawyer as the Sunderland winger arrived at the police station on Thursday . He was driven to the police station in a silver 4x4 before entering to answer his bail . The England international (right) was wearing a black tracksuit as he attended the hearing in County Durham . 'Durham Police have charged the defendant accordingly and he is due to appear before Peterlee Magistrates on 20 May. 'May I remind all concerned that the defendant has a right to a fair trial. It is very important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings. 'I would also remind people that the complainant in this case is entitled to lifelong anonymity under the law. For these reasons, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.' The former England international was suspended by Sunderland pending the outcome of the police investigation after he was initially arrested at his £1.85million mansion on March 2 on suspicion of sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl. However, his club suspension was lifted on March 18 following news that his bail had been extended by five weeks and he has featured as a substitute in Sunderland’s last three matches, including the 1-0 Tyne-Wear derby win over Newcastle. Three unmarked police cars, a police van, several plain-clothes officers and a forensics team were seen at Johnson’s luxurious home, close to a quiet hamlet in County Durham, and he was questioned at Peterlee police station before being bailed until April 23. Sunderland-born Johnson, whose long-time girlfriend Stacey Flounders gave birth to daughter Ayla Sofia in January, signed for the club for £10m from Manchester City in 2012. He has scored 20 times in 116 games for the club, including the winner at Newcastle in this season’s Tyne-Wear derby. The £1.85million house in the North East where Johnson was arrested in March . Johnson pictured with his girlfriend Stacey Flounders in 2012 after Manchester City won the Premier League . The Black Cats winger has made three Premier League appearances under new boss Dick Advocaat (right) As revealed by Sportsmail last month, police raided the dressing rooms at the Stadium of Light and Sunderland's training ground as part of their probe into Johnson. It is also understood that all Sunderland staff were called into meetings following Johnson's arrest and warned away from posting anything about it on social media and from speaking to the press. A source said: 'You don't expect to see police officers in a dressing room and quite a few people at the club were shocked by it. They were looking for things such as second mobile phones and notes, anything that would help them, really.' Changing rooms at the club's Academy of Light training ground were also scoured by local police . Johnson, seen here in action against France in 2010, has made 12 appearances for England . The winger played 81 minutes of Sunderland's 2-0 defeat by Manchester United shortly before being arrested . They added: 'All staff were called into meetings and told in no uncertain terms that they were not to put anything on things like Twitter and Facebook and not to talk to the press about it under any circumstances.' The 27-year-old had been training at home in a bid to keep fit after being suspended by Sunderland while the investigation continued. The Black Cats had been sending a fitness coach to Johnson’s two-acre woodland pad to oversee private workouts before the winger was put back into the first-team fold by Sunderland boss Dick Advocaat. Sunderland are yet to confirm if the player will not be available for selection in light of the charges. Johnson has scored 20 goals for the Black Cats since signing for the club in 2012 . Johnson in action for Middlesbrough in 2007 . Adam Johnson began his career at Middlesbrough, where he made his debut in a UEFA Cup game in 2005, aged just 17. Almost six months later, he turned out for the first time in the Premier League, taking part in a 2-1 home win against Arsenal. In May, 2006, he scored his first goal for the club, a deflected effort in a 1-1 draw away to Bolton Wanderers and soon after signed a four-year contract extension. He was loaned out to Leeds United then Watford, scoring 12 goals in his three-month stay at the Hertfordshire club. On his return to Middlesbrough, he again showed strong form and won the North East Football Writers' Young Player of the Year award after 11 goals in 29 Championship appearances. In February 2010, he made a £7million move to Manchester City. City boss Roberto Mancini said: 'Adam is a very good player with fantastic potential, and as a club we are always keen to sign British talent.' He made a bright start and was named man of the match in his first start. Johnson's first goal for City came against Sunderland, leading England manager Fabio Capello to publicly praising him. He was handed first England cap in a World Cup warm-up against Mexico at the age of 22 and named in provisional squad for tournament in South Africa. In three seasons at the Etihad Stadium, the speedy winger made 97 appearances, helping win the Barclays Premier League, FA Cup and Community Shield. Johnson enjoyed a successful spell at Watford in the Championship, scoring five in 12 games . In three seasons at the Etihad Stadium, the winger made 97 appearances and won the Premier League . In August 2012 he moved back to his native North East, to Sunderland, in a £10million deal, and highlights of his time there have included a hat-trick on January 11 last year in a 4-1 away win over Fulham. He said after taking the match ball as a memento: ‘These days don't come along too often unless you're Messi or Ronaldo, so it was nice for me to get that ball as a souvenir to look back on. ‘This is up there with one of my best days of my career along with playing for England, scoring for England.’ He was awarded the Barclays Player of the Month award that month. The 27-year-old has represented England at under-19 and under-21 level, and at senior level 12 times, the last of them in a friendly victory over Italy in August 2012. He has struggled to reproduce his best form on a sustained basis at Sunderland, but endeared himself to the fans with goals in each of the club's three derby victories at Newcastle in as many seasons, including a late winner at St James' Park on December 21 last year. Winger Johnson scored a late winner against Newcastle United at St James' Park last December . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
highlights: Adam Johnson charged with three counts of sexual activity .
  Johnson also formally accused of grooming a 15-year-old girl .
  He was previously arrested on suspicion of sex with underage girl .
  27-year-old has made three appearances for Sunderland since his arrest .
  Johnson will now appear at Peterlee Magistrates Court on May 20 .
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