Thursday, October 29, 2009

Wigan's King jailed for assault

Marlon King
The Jamaican international had said he "didn't touch any girl in that club"

Premier League footballer Marlon King has been jailed for 18 months for sexually assaulting a woman in a bar.

The Wigan Athletic striker was repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by the 20-year-old student in London last December, Southwark Crown Court heard.

He groped her and then punched her, leaving her with a broken nose.

The father-of-three, from Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, had insisted it was a case of mistaken identity, but the jury returned a unanimous verdict.

The assault happened at the Soho Revue Bar at a time when King was on loan with Hull City.

'Gratuitous violence'

He 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 repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by women in the bar, the court heard, and lost his temper.

A moment of "completely gratuitous violence" led to him "smashing" the victim to the floor, jurors were told.

Two other people standing beside King 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, including a football coach who insisted the 29-year-old Jamaican international was the assailant.

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