Jake King gets 12 month good behaviour bond after threats

Jake King escaped a jail sentence for threatening to break a man’s legs after glowing character references from AFL stars.

Jake King leaves the Melbourne Magistrates Court after receiving a $5000 fine. Picture Jay Town

Former Richmond player Jake King has escaped a jail sentence with the help of his fellow Tigers.

King was charged last July after he threatened to break the legs of a businessman if he did not pay him $150,000. He pleaded guilty to possessing testosterone supplements, but after references from former Richmond colleagues, he was sentenced to a 12-month good behaviour bond, without conviction, in Melbourne’s Magistrates Court yesterday. He must also pay $5000 to charity.

“I’m just happy that it’s all over. And now I can just move on from it,” he said outside court.

King was arrested at his South Melbourne tattoo parlour, which he co-owns with former outlaw motorcycle gang member Toby Mitchell, last year.

The court had heard King threatened via text message to ­assault businessman Tony Mokdissi, who co-owned a restaurant in Melbourne with King’s former Richmond teammate Ty Vickery.

Mr Mokdissi had failed to pay a debt to Vickery, which the court heard led to the text messages.

“If I have to come see you, I tell you right now, I’ll break you f..king legs,” King wrote in one text.

Mr Mokdissi replied: “I really don’t want to come see you. I’m just too afraid.”

A list of Richmond greats ­including Brownlow medallist Dustin Martin, former player Matthew Richardson, Richmond chief executive Brendon Gale and former Tigers president Gary March provided character references for King.

It is understood a former police sergeant with 25 years’ experience also supplied a reference for King, who played 107 games until he was forced to retire due to injury in 2014. Vickery retired last year.