Harlequins back Danny Care following third drink-related offence

Danny Care accepts the punishment (GETTY IMAGES)

Harlequins director of rugby Conor O'Shea feels the incident that saw Danny Care yesterday arrested and cautioned for a third drink-related offence in three months "should have been avoided" but insists the club will continue to support the scrum-half.

The 25-year-old Care, who was dropped from the England squad by caretaker coach Stuart Lancaster after his previous misdemeanours, was found urinating against a building by the British Transport Police following a night out in Leeds.

After meeting with Care this morning, O'Shea said: "After last Friday evening's match at Newcastle, our players were given a week off and Danny went to spend a few days with his parents at their home in Leeds.

"On Saturday evening, he went out with some friends in the city and took a taxi home. He was caught short and stopped the taxi to relieve himself.

"The situation Danny finds himself in is unfortunate and is one that could and should have been avoided. We have no intention of doing anything other than supporting Danny and continuing to work with him so he understands his position and the decisions he makes."

Care insisted the incident was down to "a small bladder [rather] than excessive drinking".

He was quoted by the Daily Mail as saying: "After an evening out with friends in the centre of Leeds, after a long time queuing, I was in a taxi home when I got caught short and asked the taxi driver to pull over so I could relieve myself behind a nearby building.

"The British Transport Police found me doing that and took me to the nearest police station where I was released with a caution.

"I understand the link that will be made to previous offences but, as with my fine in December in Weybridge, the issue is more one of a small bladder than excessive drinking.

"I am working hard on and off the pitch to overcome my issues and while this is another small setback I will continue to do that."

Care was fined a total of £3,100 and banned from driving for 16 months after pleading guilty to drink-driving in the early hours of New Year's Day.

That incident came three weeks after he had been fined by police for being drunk and disorderly.

After the second incident, Lancaster announced Care would not be part of his Six Nations squad, saying: "He has made two poor decisions in three weeks. I don't think he has got a lifestyle problem, but you can't condone what he has done."

The latest arrest will be an embarrassment to Care, who has vowed to put his off-field issues behind him.

A spokesman for British Transport Police said today: "Shortly after 3am on Sunday 4 March, British Transport Police received reports of a man urinating on the steps of the Queens Hotel near Leeds rail station.

"Officers attended and arrested a 25-year-old man in connection with the incident.

"He was later questioned and given a caution for being drunk and disorderly."

PA