Spanish footballer convicted of sexual assault for touching a mascot

Spanish soccer player Hugo Mallo has been convicted of sexual assault for inappropriately touching a mascot before a La Liga game in 2019, court officials said on Thursday.

The former Celta Vigo player was found to have inappropriately touched the breasts of the woman who was wearing Espanyol's parakeet costume while players lined up to salute each other before kickoff.

A judge fined Mallo 6,000 euros ($6,600) and ordered him to pay 1,000 euros ($1,100) in damages to the victim.

The 33-year-old Mallo reiterated his innocence and said he planned to appeal the sentencing. Mallo posted a video of the incident on Instagram.

I continue to categorically deny the facts attributed to me in the ruling, he said. I acknowledged that while turning around after the greetings that my hand could have touched the waist of the parakeet, but I absolutely denied that it touched the parakeet's breasts.

The case was initially dismissed but that decision was overturned on appeal. At the time, Mallo posted a statement on Instagram calling for respect and pointing out that neither Celta nor Espanyol found evidence of wrongdoing.

Mallo will also have to pay for the legal costs of the proceedings.