Ravel Morrison advised to seek abuse counselling

Ravel Morrison, the Manchester United teenager tipped to become one of the pre-eminent English footballers of his generation, has been advised to seek counselling about domestic abuse after appearing in court charged with attacking his girlfriend.

Morrison denied assaulting Reah Dixon, then 16, and the case was dropped after Salford magistrates court was told she had refused to make a statement.

However, the court also heard that it was the second time the 18-year-old had been arrested for assaulting her, with another case in 2008 when she also refused to go ahead with the prosecution.

Morrison, who has represented England at every level from the under-19s to under-16s and scored twice to help United win the FA Youth Cup on Monday, also has a caution for assaulting his mother, Sharon Ryan, when he was 15.

The teenager, who now earns 3,400 pounds a month after tax, was fined 600 pounds after admitting a charge of criminal damage, having destroyed Reah's mobile phone by throwing it out of an open window during an argument at her parents' house.

The court also ordered him to pay 85 pounds costs and a £15 victim impact surcharge and the district judge, Jonathan Feinstein, said he had recommended to the Probation Service that they should advise Morrison about domestic abuse.

"Any domestic investigation and help that needs to be given can be given through the youth offending team," he told Morrison. "I'm sure you appreciate that behaviour like this is not acceptable. You're obviously someone with a considerable future and you must at all times understand that a loss of temper, no matter what the provocation, is not acceptable."

This is not the first time Morrison's behaviour has brought embarrassment on Old Trafford but the club will be relived by the verdict considering that Morrison is already the subject of a 12-month referral order after appearing at Trafford Youth Court, then aged 17, in January to admit two charges of intimidating a witness. On that occasion Morrison was warned that if he breached the order he would be sentenced to a year behind bars.

The court was told Morrison had subjected the victim of a street robbery to a two-day ordeal to try to stop him giving evidence at the trial of his muggers.

This included threatening phone calls as well as confronting the boy, with two accomplices. The three later appeared in the victim's front garden, were chased away but came back in a mob of 15 to 20 people and a brick was thrown through a window. The victim was so traumatised, the court was told his family had put the house up for sale and wanted to leave Manchester.

The latest incident occurred on 19 April, the day before Morrison helped United beat Chelsea to reach the FA Youth Cup final. The court was told he and Dixon, his girlfriend of three years, had started arguing after she looked through the messages on his mobile phone. She threw his phone to the floor and, in retaliation, he threw hers through an open window. The court was told the couple were still together and were planning a two-week holiday next month.

A skilful, two-footed player, Morrison turned professional with United on his 17th birthday and made his first-team debut as a substitute in the Carling Cup tie against Wolverhampton Wanderers last October.

The club's website describe him as a "supremely gifted talent" but his behaviour behind the scenes at Old Trafford has been a cause of serious concern for Sir Alex Ferguson and his backroom staff.

Ferguson is aware that Morrison has a rare talent but the teenager's behaviour has been discussed at the top of the club, and there was the strong possibility his contract would have been terminated had he gone to prison.

The club are encouraged, however, by an improvement in his behaviour and the judge praised Morrison after reading a progress report that described him as "helpful, never presenting any difficulties, a positive attitude and willing to learn."

United released a statement after his previous case saying: "The club does not in any way condone Ravel's actions, but he is a very talented player with a bright future ahead of him. The right thing to do now is to support him and help him in the process of his rehabilitation."

Dan wrote:Should be locked up. Thug.

Spider wrote:

Dan wrote:Should be locked up. Thug.

Please refrain from discussing Steven Gerrard in a Ravel Morrison thread.

Spider wrote:

Dan wrote:Should be locked up. Thug.

Please refrain from discussing Steven Gerrard in a Ravel Morrison thread.

Dan wrote:Should be locked up. Thug.

Danny wrote:The haters are out tonight..

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:The haters are out tonight..

As are those with red-tinted glasses..

Danny wrote:

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:The haters are out tonight..

As are those with red-tinted glasses..

Hardly. I called him a nutter, Kem and Kuled said he needs to sort himself out, RR said he doesn't want him at the club (fuck that tbh )...

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:The haters are out tonight..

As are those with red-tinted glasses..

Hardly. I called him a nutter, Kem and Kuled said he needs to sort himself out, RR said he doesn't want him at the club (fuck that tbh )...

If you or me had done what he did, he'd have been locked up, for a long time.

Danny wrote:

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:The haters are out tonight..

As are those with red-tinted glasses..

Hardly. I called him a nutter, Kem and Kuled said he needs to sort himself out, RR said he doesn't want him at the club (fuck that tbh )...

If you or me had done what he did, he'd have been locked up, for a long time.

What's that got to do with it?

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:

Dan wrote:

Danny wrote:

Dan wrote:

As are those with red-tinted glasses..

Hardly. I called him a nutter, Kem and Kuled said he needs to sort himself out, RR said he doesn't want him at the club (fuck that tbh )...

If you or me had done what he did, he'd have been locked up, for a long time.

What's that got to do with it?

You've seen who the thread is focused on right?

Dan wrote:Oh, my apologies. Sorry for thinking that someone that was caught with firearms, beat up his girlfriend and intimidated a witness in a case with a gang of his mates should be locked up. Me and my bias..

Dan wrote:Oh, my apologies. Sorry for thinking that someone that was caught with firearms, beat up his girlfriend and intimidated a witness in a case with a gang of his mates should be locked up. Me and my bias..

Cam wrote:Danny, shut up with the 'Oh fucking dear' and ''