Player 'knocked three women over'

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A Premier League footballer punched a woman "out of sight" with a "very hard" blow which knocked two of her friends to the floor, jurors have heard.

Wigan Athletic striker Marlon King is accused of punching a woman and "sexually touching" her during a night out in Soho in central London.

The 20-year-old woman was left covered in blood, Southwark Crown Court heard.

The married father-of-three, 29, denies sexual assault by touching and causing actual bodily harm.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was part of a 21st birthday party at the Soho Revue Bar when the attack occurred last December.

I heard him say 'I'm just out of your league... I'm a multi-millionaire' Witness

One of the other women who was felled by the blow told jurors: "The blow was very hard and because I was still in contact with him when he threw the punch it pulled me across the sofa and the table and knocked both me and another friend over.

"It also knocked the person he punched out of sight because I couldn't see her afterwards. She was on the floor.

"Everybody started to jump in across the sofas to get to Marlon King and the bouncers also tried to join in.

"I just tried to get to my friend. I could tell she had some damage to her face. She was covered in blood."

The witness also described events leading up to the attack, explaining how Mr King initially touched her, and another woman, on the neck.

Mistaken identity

Those advances were rejected and he then turned his attention to the eventual victim, the court was told.

Describing the exchange between the victim and Mr King, she said: "I heard her quite firmly say 'Don't do that, it is not nice'.

"I turned to see what was going on. I was about arm's length away from her. I heard him say 'I'm just out of your league. I'm a multi-millionaire'."

Mr King was then told to "take his multi-millions away" but he refused and tapped her on the head repeatedly.

The footballer claims he is the victim of mistaken identity.

The trial continues.