SAINTS hero Claus Lundekvam will appear in court after being charged with assaulting a woman, the Daily Echo can reveal.

Police were called to the 37- year-old former Southampton Football Club captain’s home after allegations were made against him by a female last month.

His arrest came exactly three weeks after he was previously arrested and quizzed by officers on suspicion of possessing drugs after they were called to his house in the middle of the afternoon.

On that occasion police allegedly found Lundekvam with a quantity of controlled drugs, having been called to the Chilworth property over another matter just before 4pm on March 29.

They then released the Norwegian, who played for Saints for 12 years and made 420 appearances for the club, on bail while further inquiries were made.

Lundekvam’s latest arrest happened on April 16 and following police interviews he was charged with common assault.

He will make his first appearance before Southampton magistrates next week.

Last year Lundekvam, who retired from football in 2007, was banned from driving for 28 months after crashing his Audi Quattro Q7 on the M3.

In court, he admitted drink - riving and failing to stop at the scene of an accident following the crash as he drove home from a charity golf event.

He had been arrested at a service station a quarter-of-amile from the scene of the accident, near junction nine, and Lundekvam was breathalised and found to be two-and-a-half times over the legal drink-drive limit.

He was also ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work as part of a 12-month community sentence, and pay costs by Basingstoke magistrates.

At the hearing, his solicitor Adam Norris said Lundekvam was someone who gave “unstintingly of his time, energy and money to good causes”.

A spokesman for Hampshire police said: “Hampshire Constabulary can confirm that a 37-year-old Chilworth man has been arrested and charged with section 39 common assault. Claus Lundekvam was arrested by police at his Chilworth home on April 16.

Mr Lundekvam has been bailed to appear at Southampton Magistrates’ Court on May 11.”