LONDON, England, CMC – The Jamaica international footballer Marlon King is to be sacked by Wigan Athletic after being sentenced Thursday to 18 months in prison for sexual assault and causing bodily harm.
Dave Whelan, chairman of the northwest England club, said the 29-year-old striker would never play for the Premiership outfit again.
“He is absolutely sacked,” Whelan said Thursday after King was sentenced in London’s Southwark Crown Court.
“We will not tolerate this kind of behaviour and as far as we are concerned he is finished football with Wigan Athletic.”
King signed a three-and-a-half year contract with Wigan last year worth four million pounds sterling, after moving from Watford.
However, he had not played for the northwest England club for the season since new manager Roberto Martinez took over.
Whelan said while King’s demise had been unfortunate, the club would adhere to the Football Association’s guidelines.
“It is upsetting to hear that Marlon has got 18 months but I am sure he deserves it,” Whelan said.
“We have to follow the rules and regulations and we have given him 14 days notice that his contract will be cancelled.”
Whelan also said he had always felt uneasy about the embattled striker.
“I do personally regret the day… when we signed him I always thought his heart and soul wasn’t in being a professional footballer,” Whelan said.
King’s agent told reports he plans to appeal Wigan’s decision to sack King.
Last December, King was charged with groping a 20-year-old female student and then punching her in the face, while celebrating in the Soho Revue Bar following his winning goal for Hull – where he was on loan at the time — in a Premiership fixture earlier that day.
King pleaded not guilty and told the court that he was the victim of mistaken identity but several witnesses identified him as the assailant.
