BROMSGROVE-BORN pop star Ritchie Neville was due to appear in court today after a brawl in a Dublin bar belie-ved to be over rivals Westlife.
The 21-year-old former Bromsgrove School pupil, whose mother runs the town's Crabmill Inn, was arrested last Wednesday night, December 20, with fellow 5ive band member J Brown, aged 24.
The pair were held after a fight in the Palace Bar, in Fleet Street, and were due to appear in Dublin's Bridewell Court at 10.30am the following day.
Irish police said two others were arrested in the incident and one man was injured.
He was said to have received stitches at St James's Hospital for facial injuries.
Palace Bar worker Willie Ahern said the fight could have been about the band's rivals, Westlife, who hail from the Republic of Ireland.
"There were four lads at the end of the bar who'd been in all day.
"Members of 5ive came in with a couple of girls, were having a good time and some sort of fight developed.
"Westlife was mentioned and two lads in the band got really wound up."
Band publicist Neil Reading said: "Nev-ille will be charged with public disorder and disturbance of the peace and Brown with assault and public disorder."
5ive's two concert dates in the Irish capital were set to go ahead as planned.
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