Ex-Tiger Jake King walks free from court with help from ex-Richmond mates
FORMER Tiger Jake King has walked free from court after pleading guilty to possessing testosterone and making a threat to cause serious injury, with help from several Richmond mates including Dustin Martin, Matthew Richardson and Brendon Gale.
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DISGRACED former Tiger Jake King has walked free from court with a slap on the wrist with a lot of help from his footballer mates.
King, who was caught on tape threatening to bash a bloke he claims ripped off estranged friend Ty Vickery, was today sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond, without conviction, and asked to pay a $5000 donation to charity.
King, who played 107 games with the Tigers before injury ended his career, pleaded guilty to possessing testosterone and making a threat to cause serious injury.
PREVIOUSLY: KING PLIGHT LIKENED TO CRICKET SCANDAL
He was supported with character references from a who’s who of AFL heavyweights.
Among them was Brownlow winner Dustin Martin, former champ Matthew Richardson, Tigers boss Brendan Gale and former Tigers president Gary March.
A former police sergeant with 25 years on the job also provided a glowing reference for the former Tiger.
Richardson’s reference paid tribute to King for his hours of community service and loyalty to his mates.
“As a friend, Jake shows nothing but loyalty and respect,” he wrote.
Gale wrote to the court highlighting King’s work with the club’s community programs, stating he “fully involved” himself in the work.
Several references spoke of King’s mentoring of Martin, with the Brownlow winner also backing that assertion himself.
Magistrate Carolyn Burnside praised King for his past charity work and previous good character.
The decision is believed to have stunned police, with sources already suggesting the sentence may be appealed.
The court heard King took it upon himself to help out Vickery upon learning he’d been dudded out of $143,000 by his then business partner Tony Mokdissi.
In a series of calls taped by Mr Mokdissi on behalf of police in June and July last year, King is heard repeatedly threatening him.
“If I have to come see you Tony all right I swear to God I tell ya now I’ll break your f---ing legs, so I suggest you come and see me,” King said during one conversation.
In another, King warns Mr Mokdissi not to mess with him.
“It will get resolved my way you f---ing dog not your way you f--- wit, so if I f---ing tell you to come and see me, come and see me. Do you f---ing understand or not?”
The threats came as the terrified man repeatedly tried to tell King that he was trying to come up with the money.
“If I have to come and see you alright, I’ll come and see you about your offer, I’ll come and see you about my offer and then I’ll kick the c--- out of you for being a dumb c---. So it’s up to you,” King said.
Mr Mokdissi chose not to submit a victim impact statement to the court, which frustrated the magistrate.
“Without undermining the gravity of this offending … he’s seen fit not to provide a victim impact statement. That’s significant and I take that into account,” Ms Burnside said.
She further took into account King’s long history of charity work, his remorse and previous lack of prior offending.
Ms Burnside also accepted that the three vials of testosterone he was found with was part of a hormone replacement program dealing with his past sporting injuries.
While police accepted King had previously been prescribed the drugs, he could not produce the relevant script or dispensing receipts for the vials found.
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