Rome, Nov 24 (AFP) Former AC Milan and Real Madridstriker Robinho was sentenced to nine years in prison in Italyafter he was convicted of gang rape, according to local mediareports.
The alleged incident occurred in January 2013, whenRobinho was playing for Milan in Serie A. He was found guiltyin absentia by an Italian court for sexually assaulting a 22-year-old Albanian woman.
Five other people were also accused of the same crime,but their sentences are not yet known.
According to Milan daily Corriere della Sera, Robinho andfive friends made the young woman drink "to the point ofmaking her unconscious and unable to resist". They were thensaid to have engaged in "sexual intercourse multiple times ina row" with her.
Robinho has denied the charges and can appeal thedecision.
After hearing the news, he posted brief messages on hisofficial Instagram and Facebook profiles protesting hisinnocence.
It is not the first time the player has faced allegationsof sexual misconduct. He was briefly detained in 2009 after ayoung woman accused him of assault at a nightclub in Leeds,northern England.
He was eventually let go without charge.
The 33-year-old is currently playing for Atletico Mineiroin Brazil. He has 100 international caps for his country.
(AFP) PDSPDS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.