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| Version 8 | Version 9 |
|---|---|
| Footballer jailed for sex assault | Footballer jailed for sex assault |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Premier League footballer Marlon King has been jailed for 18 months for sexually assaulting a woman - and will be sacked by Wigan Athletic. | |
| The striker was repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by the 20-year-old student in a bar in central London last December, Southwark Crown Court heard. | The striker was repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by the 20-year-old student in a bar in central London last December, Southwark Crown Court heard. |
| He groped her and then punched her, leaving her with a broken nose. | He groped her and then punched her, leaving her with a broken nose. |
| King was convicted of sexually assaulting the woman and causing actual bodily harm. | |
| The father-of-three, from Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, had insisted it was a case of mistaken identity. But he was convicted by a majority of 10-2. | |
| The assault happened at the Soho Revue Bar at a time when he was on loan with Hull City. | The assault happened at the Soho Revue Bar at a time when he was on loan with Hull City. |
| King was celebrating two occasions - his wife's latest pregnancy and the scoring of a winning goal - with a night out in the West End. | King was celebrating two occasions - his wife's latest pregnancy and the scoring of a winning goal - with a night out in the West End. |
| He was repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by women in the bar, the court heard. | He was repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by women in the bar, the court heard. |
| 'Gratuitous violence' | 'Gratuitous violence' |
| Prosecution lawyer Roger Daniells-Smith said King had struck up a conversation with his victim by saying: "Don't you know who I am? I'm a millionaire." | Prosecution lawyer Roger Daniells-Smith said King had struck up a conversation with his victim by saying: "Don't you know who I am? I'm a millionaire." |
| The court heard she replied: "I don't care who you are; take your millionaire self away from our table." | The court heard she replied: "I don't care who you are; take your millionaire self away from our table." |
| He groped the woman and she told him: "Don't do that, it's not nice. Don't touch me." | He groped the woman and she told him: "Don't do that, it's not nice. Don't touch me." |
| We will now be in the process of severing his contract. To say the least, I am really, really disappointed Dave WhelanChairman, Wigan Athletic Wigan to sack jailed striker King | We will now be in the process of severing his contract. To say the least, I am really, really disappointed Dave WhelanChairman, Wigan Athletic Wigan to sack jailed striker King |
| King was warned off her again but he continued to stroke the woman's hair and then told her she was not in his league, the court heard. | King was warned off her again but he continued to stroke the woman's hair and then told her she was not in his league, the court heard. |
| After she pushed him in the chest, King lost his temper and a moment of "completely gratuitous violence" led to him "smashing" the victim to the floor, jurors were told. | After she pushed him in the chest, King lost his temper and a moment of "completely gratuitous violence" led to him "smashing" the victim to the floor, jurors were told. |
| Two other people standing beside him were also knocked away as a result of the force of the blow he inflicted. | Two other people standing beside him were also knocked away as a result of the force of the blow he inflicted. |
| Several witnesses testified that King was responsible, despite his denial. | Several witnesses testified that King was responsible, despite his denial. |
| They included a football coach who insisted the 29-year-old Jamaican international was the assailant. | They included a football coach who insisted the 29-year-old Jamaican international was the assailant. |
| Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan said King "was finished with football" at the club. | Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan said King "was finished with football" at the club. |
| King will be left without a club once he has served his sentence | |
| "We will now be in the process of severing his contract," he told BBC Radio 5 live. | "We will now be in the process of severing his contract," he told BBC Radio 5 live. |
| "To say the least, I am really, really disappointed." | "To say the least, I am really, really disappointed." |
| Mr Whelan continued: "It's really upsetting and it just sets such a bad example for any youngster coming through who wants to be a professional footballer." | Mr Whelan continued: "It's really upsetting and it just sets such a bad example for any youngster coming through who wants to be a professional footballer." |
| In 2002 King, then playing for Gillingham, served five months of a two-year prison sentence for handling a stolen car before being released on appeal. |