Marlon King jailed for sexual assault
Wigan Athletic striker Marlon King has been jailed for 18 months
Thursday, 29, Oct 2009 05:38
By Richard James.
Wigan Athletic striker Marlon King has been jailed for 18 months after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old woman on a night out in London.
Southwark crown court heard how the 29-year-old was repeatedly "cold-shouldered" by women during an evening out in the capital last December celebrating his wife's pregnancy and his scoring of a winning goal.
The prosecution alleged the footballer first groped and then punched a female student, leaving her with a broken nose.
The court heard how King lost his temper and a moment of "completely gratuitous violence" led to him striking out at the woman.
King, from Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, had continually claimed he was the victim of "mistaken identity".
The jury at the crown court, however, returned a unanimous guilty verdict on the charges of sexual assault and actual bodily harm and he was later sentenced to 18 months behind bars.
Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan confirmed on Thursday the striker had now also been sacked by the club.
"He is absolutely sacked. We will not tolerate football players who get sent to jail for 18 months," he told Sky Sports News.
The incident occurred at the Soho Revue Bar while King was on loan at Hull City.