Ex-Premier League player sentenced to nine years in prison

Ex-Premier League player Robinho has been sentenced to nine years in prison, as a decision is confirmed by the Milan Court of Appeal.

The 37 year old was handed the sentence in December for his participation in a gang rape that took place in Italy back in 2013, for which he was initially found guilty in 2017.

The court determined that the former Man City player had “belittled” and “brutally humiliated” the victim, who was celebrating her 23rd birthday on the night of the incident at a well-known Milan venue, as reported by La Repubblica.

The Italian Court has confirmed that Robinho has been sent to prison for nine years, for a sexual assault committed in a Milan nightclub in 2013. pic.twitter.com/9ZYIdlDJEY

— Footy Accumulators (@FootyAccums) March 10, 2021

Now, Robinho has 45 days to appeal to the Supreme Court of Cassation, the highest court of appeal, or court of last resort in Italy.

The former Milan forward has been sentenced alongside his friend, Ricardo Falco.

He was found guilty of committing sexual assault towards an Albanian woman, alongside five other people.

The former Brazil international, along with associate Ricardo Falco, was sentenced following his role in the sexual assault as part of a group.

The 37 year old joined Man City back in 2008 from La Liga giants Real Madrid in a world-famous transfer which cost the Citizens £38.7m, as per TransferMarkt, a deal which was really quite expensive at the time of purchase.

The attacker went on to made a total of 53 appearances in all competitions for City and was directly involved in 28 goals.

However, after some underwhelming and disappointing performances, questioning is he really worth his price-tag, Robinho was eventually transferred to AC Milan after spending a season on loan with Santos just two-years later. The Brazilian went onto move around clubs in both Turkey and Brazil.

Now his life might take a turn for the worse, after being convicted of rape in Italy 2017, as per Guardian, however, due to an ongoing appeal process, Robinho’s punishment was delayed.

The former Premier League star, who is to be jailed due to the shocking conviction, denies he’s a rapist but admits he had ‘contact’ with his accuser in a Milan nightclub as he claims wiretapped calls were poorly translated after Santos suspended him just a week into his return to his home country.

And in an interview with Brazilian outlet UOL, Robinho has insisted that despite making ‘contact’ with his accuser, their interaction at the Sio Cafe was consensual, and that his only regret was cheating on his wife.

“A girl approached me, we started to have contact with her consent and mine too… then I went home,” he said. 

Robinho said that, after leaving, his friends stayed with the accuser and had consensual sex with her, before insisting that he cannot speak for them. 

Key evidence that was used to convict the Brazilian were intercepted phone calls and messages between the footballer and those allegedly involved in the attack, in which Robinho allegedly said “the woman was completely drunk”.

The former footballer’s lawyers insist that the phone calls ‘have not been correctly translated into the Italian language’ by the justice system, while Robinho said the accuser was not drunk.

“When she approached me, she wasn’t drunk, because she remembers my name, she remembers who I am. The person who drinks doesn’t remember anything. She remembers,” he added.

Robinho said that his only regret was cheating on his wife, who he has been married to since 2009 and has three children with. 

“I regret cheating on my wife. This is my regret. Regarding the phrases that came out, out of context and to sell the newspaper and magazine. Obviously I changed a lot over the last seven years, this happened in 2013 and I changed for the better. 

He said: “The question is, what was the mistake I made? What was the crime I did? The mistake was not being faithful to my wife. I didn’t make any mistake of raping someone, of abusing some girl or go out with her without her consent.”

Chief operating officer Richard Adam told Globo Esporte: “We have enormous respect for Santos’ history. But at this point, we have decided to terminate the sponsorship contract.

“Our audience is mostly female and, out of respect for the women who buy our products, we had to make that decision.

“We want to make it clear that we were not previously informed about the signing of Robinho, we were taken by surprise by the news over the weekend.”

A Santos club statement read: “Santos and Robinho have by mutual agreement resolved to suspend the contract signed on 10 October so that the player can concentrate exclusively on his court defence in Italy.”

PLAYING CAREER:

2002–2005 – Santos – 138 apps (65 goals)
2005–2008 – Real Madrid – 101 apps (25 goals)
2008–2010 – Manchester City – 41 apps (14 goals)
2010 → Santos (loan) – 14 apps (5 goals)
2010–2015 – Milan – 108 apps (25 goals)
2014–2015 → Santos (loan) – 33 apps (11 goals)
2015–2016 – Guangzhou Evergrande – 10 apps (3 goals)
2016–2017 – Atlético Mineiro – 80 apps (31 goals)
2018 – Sivasspor – 30 apps (12 goals)
2019–2020 – İstanbul Başakşehir – 32 apps (4 goals)
2020 – Santos

National team
2004 – Brazil U23 – 8 apps (3 goals)
2003–2017 – Brazil – 100 apps (28 goals)

Fans reacted as ex-Premier League player Robinho is sentenced to nine years in prison…

@irons1978: That’s one long night out.

@StoGeorge: He’s used to being on the wing

@NorthernMonkeh1: I’m sure he got accused of sexual assault in a Leeds nightclub when he played for Man City.

@_jc_3: @tolliday_ I still refuse to believe Robinho was in space 😭😂

@RomeorMandalay2: Another former Manchester City employee, banged up for being a sexual deviant. Horrible football club.

@peterbaker7: Fuck me, we had a team full of em back then. 😳

@KieranMcanaw_: Hahahahahaha surely not another ex Man City sex offender, they’ve now got the same amount of sex offenders as Man United have European Cups

@P_LFC98: 3 Man City sex offenders now 😬

@TOBINATOR_: City breed sex offenders

@__jpv0196: Name a club with a better prison XI than us

@Msandi305: 9 years is too little for what he did

@callumsam_: Another sex offender to city’s list. More sex offenders than European trophies 👍🏼

@pundit_jay: From lighting up the Etihad to jail football tournaments! Fell right off.

@samcgreen_: Man City Sex Offenders strike again

@markdouble07: Damn!!! Dribbled his way to jail.

@steyards10: Another Man City sex offender what a horrible club 🤢

@nvkus: Another day, another City sex predator.

@Liiinoname: 9 years!!!! For sexual assault? The uk need harsher punishment for crimes like this.

@ListonRick: How many sex offenders is that now @ManCity ???

@MrMeeds: Rest in piss.

@TeppsCFC: Still remember the free kick he scored against us on his debut like it was yesterday 🤣😭

@AidanCameron9: Well that’s my childhood ruined… absolute prick

@Shakeitupbaine1: Wow. What a moron.

@asticky1still: Craziest thing about it was he was convicted in 2017 but was still allowed to play football in Turkey

@mxggiek: Good riddance. Clown