- The footballer was arrested on December 17 following brawl outside nightclub
- Crystal Palace skipper was then charged with a section 4 public order offence
- He pleaded not guilty to assault at Guildford Magistrates Court today
- Puncheon will miss rest of the season after injuring himself in Sunday's match
By Thomas Burrows for MailOnline
Published: 05:25 EST, 5 January 2018 | Updated: 06:27 EST, 5 January 2018
The Crystal Palace captain arrived at court on crutches after a knee-ligament injury suffered in Sunday's match
Injured Crystal Palace captain Jason Puncheon has pleaded not guilty to assault following a brawl in a street near a nightclub.
The midfielder was arrested on December 17, and subsequently charged, in relation to an incident outside nightclub Mishiko, in Reigate, Surrey.
Puncheon had missed his side's victory at Leicester a few hours earlier through illness.
The footballer was charged with a section 4 public order offence – causing fear or provocation of violence, possession of an offensive weapon and common assault.
He had allegedly got involved in a fight between two girls.
Puncheon pleaded not guilty to common assault and the public order offence at Guildford Magistrates Court on Friday.
The offensive weapon charge was withdrawn.
Prosecutor Darren Matrovers told the court Puncheon is alleged to have hit a member of Mishiko door staff with a belt. The man was not injured.
Mr Matrovers told the court: 'This defendant has been seen on CCTV removing the belt from his trousers, then approaching a group of people, then swinging that belt.
'At that stage it doesn't appear that [the] belt contacts with anybody.
'He then walks away but returns to the group, still with the belt in his hand, and again swings the belt a second time – the prosecution say with the belt buckle at the front end, away from his hand, and that strikes the back of the victim's head.'
Chair of the magistrates' bench, Ann Terry, adjourned the case until June 4, where Puncheon will face trial at Staines Magistrates' Court.
The 31-year-old, who scored for Palace in the 2016 FA Cup Final, was given conditional bail and told not to attend Mishiko or contact the complainant ahead of the trial.
Puncheon, who grew up in Croydon, said it was a 'proud moment' when he was announced as first-team captain for the season in July.
He will miss the rest of the season after suffering a serious knee injury in Sunday's 0-0 draw with Manchester City.
He was injured while attempted to challenge City's star player Kevin De Bruyne.
The Crystal Palace club captain pleaded not guilty to common assault and the public order offence
Puncheon was arrested after allegedly getting embroiled in a fight between two girls close to Mishiko nightclub (pictured)
Jason Puncheon injured himself late on in Crystal Palace's goalless draw with Manchester City
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