Former Celta Vigo captain Hugo Mallo will face trial in July for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman working as a mascot for Espanyol nearly five years ago, judicial sources said on Wednesday.
The incident allegedly took place before the sides met in La Liga in April 2019 when Mallo and his team-mates were greeting Espanyol players and two people dressed in parakeet costumes as Espanyol’s mascots.
According to the prosecutor’s findings Mallo, now at Sport Club Internacional in Brazil, ‘put his hands under the woman’s costume and touched her breasts’.
The prosecutor said the victim ‘was forced to retreat and push the accused awa'” and is asking for a fine of over €8,000 for Mallo for an offence of sexual assault.
Spanish media said Mallo had already denied committing any offence when he testified in July 2019 and the case was provisionally shelved, but after appeals by the defence and victim, the Barcelona Provincial Court ordered the case be reopened in May 2021.
The 32-year-old player’s agency released a statement again denying the accusations and asking for the presumption of innocence until otherwise proven.
‘We categorically deny the alleged facts, which has already been made clear to the court that investigated him,’ said Mallo’s agency.
‘We ask that justice be allowed to act, as well as for the utmost respect for Hugo and his family as we wait for the truth to emerge.’
The trial is set to begin on 11 July.
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VÍDEO ▶️ Así fue el momento del supuesto abuso sexual de Hugo Mallo a la mascota del Espanyol
— Antena 3 Noticias (@A3Noticias) January 31, 2024
Vía @Antena3Deportes https://t.co/lBGAVyk6MD
Hugo Mallo's agency 'Leaders' have released a statement reminding of his right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, after a case in which he was accused of sexual assault was reopened.
— Football España (@footballespana_) January 31, 2024
They also note that #RCCelta and Espanyol found no evidence of wrongdoing on his part. pic.twitter.com/U1wYhZTX1Z
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