Ben Pawlowski
A SPANISH footballer has avoided jail after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman dressed as a rival team’s mascot.
Hugo Mallo, 33, has been ordered by a judge to stump up a €6,000 fine, as well as pay €1,000 in compensation to the victim after a hearing at Barcelona’s Ciutat de la Justicia court.
The incident in question took place in April 2019, when Celta Vigo, the team Mallo captained, travelled to Catalonia to face Espanyol in La Liga.
Footage from the match showed Mallo inappropriately groping the breasts of a woman who was wearing the costume of Perequita (Parakeet), Espanyol’s mascot, as the players lined-up to shake hands prior to kick-off.
The victim testified in June of that year – Mallo claimed that television footage exonerated him before making a request for the case to be thrown out, which was rejected.
In her victim statement, the individual, who has upheld her right to anonymity, said: “When Hugo Mallo arrived to greet the mascot, he gave his hands to the male parakeet as is usually done, but when he reached the victim, who at that time was playing the role of the female parakeet, he introduced his hands under the costume and touched her breasts”.
Mallo, who currently plays for Greek Super League club Aris, avoided an 18-month jail term because there was no act of contrition or repentance by the accused towards the victim.
He could still appeal the conviction.
