Wigan's King jailed, sacked for punching woman

Wigan Athletic striker Marlon King was jailed for 18 months yesterday after the Premier League player was convicted of groping a woman and breaking her nose after she rejected his advances in a nightclub.

King, 29, was unanimously convicted of sexual assault and causing actual bodily harm by a jury at London's Southwark Crown Court. Wigan later said his club contract would be terminated.

The court heard how King, who was celebrating his wife's pregnancy and scoring a winning goal only hours earlier, was repeatedly cold-shouldered by women revellers in London's packed Soho Revue Bar last December.

The court was told that when the university student rejected his advances, King, a father-of-three, replied "I'm just out of your league. I'm a millionaire".

She replied: "I don't care who you are, take your multi-millions and get away from our table".

Prosecutors said he then lost his temper and in an outburst of "completely gratuitous violence" lashed out, "smashing" her to the floor.

His single clenched fist blow was so powerful that two other revellers - one of them holding on to his arm - were also sent flying, the Press Association reported.

As friends helped the 20-year-old to her feet, blood poured from her nose, the court heard.

The Jamaican international from Waltham Cross, north of London, claimed he was a victim of mistaken identity.

But after hearing evidence from a string of witnesses, including a football coach who insisted King was the assailant, the jury decided he was lying.