Former Sharks and Panthers NRL player Paul Aiton mugged in Spain

FORMER NRL player Paul Aiton will miss at least eight weeks for his UK club Wakefield after having his jaw broken in a mugging in Spain.

Paul-Aiton

FORMER Cronulla and Penrith NRL player Paul Aiton will miss at least eight weeks for his UK Super League club Wakefield after having his jaw broken in a mugging in Spain.

The Papua New Guinea international hooker and former Kumuls captain has appeared in all the Wildcats' 21 matches in his first season in England and was attacked during a three-day break last week.

The 27-year-old was struck so violently he needed an operation to insert a metal plate in his jaw.

"He's been assaulted and robbed," Wakefield coach Richard Agar said.

"Unfortunately, he's been in the wrong place at the wrong time and he's been whacked around the face with an object.

"He's not sure if it was a bat or an iron bar which has knocked him down and they've taken his bag that had his phone, sunglasses and wallet inside of it and taken off with it.

"It's a real blow for us because he's probably been our most consistent player and he's our toughest player, that's for sure.

"He's really shaken up and it's put a real downer on the start of our week."