England footballer Khiara Keating appears in court on drugs charge
Keating, 20, who plays for Man City, and her mother both pleaded not guilty.
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An England Lioness footballer has appeared in court accused of possession of cannisters of nitrous oxide, also known as “hippy crack”.
Khiara Keating, 20, stood in the dock at Manchester Magistrates’ Court alongside her mother, Nicola Keating, 48, jointly charged with possession of the Class C drug, more widely known as laughing gas, in Manchester on June 18 last month.
Wearing a black trouser-suit and trainers, Keating, a goalkeeper for Manchester City who was called up to the England squad last season, spoke only to confirm her name and address.
She was asked to indicate a plea and replied “not guilty”, as did her mother.
The charge is an “either way” offence and can be heard by magistrates or at a crown court before a jury. Both women chose to have their case heard before magistrates.
Jonathan Potter, prosecuting, said the women are accused of the possession of nitrous oxide cannisters for wrongful inhalation, an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Keating, of Ashton Old Road, east Manchester, kept nine clean sheets in 22 league games for City, who finished second to rivals Chelsea in the title race.
She was originally on the books of Manchester United before being spotted by a City scout.
Nitrous oxide was made a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act last November, as part of the Government’s anti-social behaviour action plan.
Possession of nitrous oxide, where a person intends to wrongfully inhale it for a psychoactive effect, is now an offence but it is still possible to use the gas for legitimate reasons, such as in catering or pain relief during labour.
Magistrates granted Keating and her mother unconditional bail and adjourned the case until September 10 back at the same court for a district judge to fix a date for trial.