Luxembourg footballer Gerson Rodrigues faced charges related to three counts of assault and battery.

Following the national team's match against Kazakhstan, Rodrigues appeared before the Luxembourg City Court, where he was sentenced on Wednesday. The court handed down an 18-month suspended prison sentence and imposed a fine of €1,500.

The charges against Rodrigues included three counts of assault and battery, one of which involved domestic violence against his former partner. The court also ordered the footballer to pay €2,430 in damages to the latter.

Notably, the court's verdict surpassed the sentence sought by the prosecution.

Prosecution's case and defence's response

In early March, the prosecution sought a 15-month suspended prison sentence for Rodrigues, for domestic violence against his former partner and two other assault and battery incidents. The prosecution also requested that Rodrigues undergo anger management treatment and provide compensation to the victim.

On the other hand, Rodrigues' defence lawyer argued for his client's acquittal. The defence questioned the credibility of the ex-girlfriend's testimony as well as the conduct of the police officers at the scene and the public prosecutor, who were "too quick to make up their minds," according to the defence.

Background

The series of incidents involving Gerson Rodrigues span over several years.

The first incident traces back to an evening in March 2019, where Rodrigues allegedly assaulted an individual outside a nightclub in Luxembourg City's Gare neighbourhood. The victim reportedly sustained facial fractures, necessitating months of recovery and undergoing three surgeries. Subsequently, the victim's legal representative sought damages exceeding €90,000 from Rodrigues.

-> Physical assault allegations: Gerson Rodrigues court case pushed back to 29 November

In June 2022, Rodrigues was implicated in another altercation outside a nightclub in the capital, where he allegedly punched another individual, resulting in the loss of a tooth. However, the victim opted not to pursue civil action after reaching an agreement with Rodrigues outside of court.

The most recent allegations against the footballer stem from an incident on 25 November 2022. According to eyewitness accounts, it was another long, drunken evening. Rodrigues stands accused of assaulting his ex-girlfriend, who held the title of Miss Luxembourg 2020, by punching her in the face. Initially, the ex-girlfriend did not implicate Rodrigues on the night of the incident; however, she later accused him on social media of causing her injuries. Rodrigues denied the accusations.

Additionally, on the same November night, Rodrigues faced allegations of verbally abusing law enforcement officers. In fact, this is the only incident to which the footballer has admitted to date and for which he has apologised.