Marlon King Linked

First topic message reminder :

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/cardiff-target-birminghams-marlon-king-1144556

I was going to play devils advocate and ask why he shouldn't be given the chance to get on with his life seeing as he's served his punishment. Then I actually looked at what he's done -




Since the age of 17 the Premiership star has found himself in the dock on seven previous occasions involving 13 offences.

The offences include violence against women, dishonesty, drink driving and other motoring offences.

Only one, receiving a stolen £30,000 BMW, resulted in prison - 18 months reduced to nine on appeal.

King's first brush with the law was in December 1997 at Camberwell Youth Court when he was convicted of wounding another footballer while playing for a local Dulwich side.

Magistrates heard how he first grabbed his opponent round the neck and, as the referee booked him, returned to the attack with a headbutt and a punch in the face, fracturing his cheekbone.

He was given an 80-hour community order and ordered to pay £250 compensation.

Two years later, at Tower Bridge Magistrates Court, he was fined a total of £240 for two counts of theft and two of fraudulently using a tax disc.

In 2002 he was before Camberwell Green Magistrates for driving with excess alcohol and while uninsured.

He was fined £650, ordered to pay £40 costs and disqualified from driving for nine months.

A week later at Greenwich Magistrates Court he received a six-month community rehabilitation order and was ordered to pay £100 compensation for criminal damage and attempting to obtain property by deception.

Still in 2002, at Inner London Crown Court, he was jailed for handling the stolen BMW Cabriolet.

A year after that he was at Bow Street Magistrates Court for two counts of common assault.

The court heard how a black cab driver had called police about a "disturbance" in Berwick Street, Soho.

When officers arrived they saw King chasing two women along the road with a belt and buckle wrapped round his right fist.

One of them explained he had attacked them for "no apparent reason", punching her in the face and causing cuts and swelling.

He was fined £1,000, and ordered to pay £500 compensation as well as £100 costs.

His last court appearance was in 2005, again at Bow Street, when he was convicted of threatening behaviour.

This involved him approaching a woman near Leicester Square, and again for "no apparent reason" spat at her.

He was fined £300, and ordered to pay £500 compensation and £55 costs.