SAINTS star Lee Barnard may have an assault charge hanging over him until next March, after his case was postponed yesterday.

The footballer’s assault trial was due to begin at Salisbury Crown Court, but had to be abandoned because of another case in the same court.

Lawyers and court staff tried to shift the trial, which is expected to last up to five days, elsewhere, but were told all courts, including Dorchester and Bristol, are full up this week.

Salisbury Crown Court, which only has one courtroom in use, cannot fit the trial in until March next year.

Judge Recorder Alistair Malcolm QC said efforts would now be made to find an earlier space at an alternative venue.

The 27-year-old striker’s case has been moved out of Southampton after his lawyers successfully argued he would not receive a fair trial in the city.

It has already been more than 12 months since Barnard, of Channel Way, Ocean Village, Southampton, is alleged to have attacked a man in a Southampton nightspot.

Police were called to the nowclosed White House in Above Bar Street in the early hours of October 3 last year, following reports of a disturbance inside.

A man was taken to Southampton General Hospital with facial injuries following the incident.

Barnard spoke only to confirm his name during yesterday’s abortive hearing.

Dressed in a navy blue suit, white shirt and pale blue tie, he listened in the dock as frustrated officials detailed why the case could not go ahead.

At the end of the short hearing, Recorder Malcolm told him: “The case unfortunately cannot be tried today. You are therefore granted bail until March.”

Barnard has yet to appear on the pitch for Saints this season after he was ruled out of the final five games of Nigel Adkins’ side’s successful promotion push from League One when he suffered an ankle injury during the home win over Bristol Rovers in April.

The former Tottenham Hotspur trainee was signed by Southampton from Southend United in January last year for a fee of around £175,000.

During his time at St Mary’s Barnard has made a total of 44 league and cup starts and a further 20 substitute appearances, scoring 24 goals.