Former France striker Wissam Ben Yedder has been given a two-year suspended prison sentence in an assault case

French soccer star Wissam Ben Yedder was given a suspended sentence of two years in prison on Tuesday after his trial last month in France for sexually assaulting a woman, one of his lawyers told The Associated Press.

The prosecutor demanded a prison sentence of two years and six months, of which eighteen months were conditional.

Lawyer Marie Roumiantseva said Ben Yedder, who was accused of assault while intoxicated, was ordered to pay 5,000 euros in compensation to the victim. The court in the southern city of Nice also imposed a duty on Ben Yedder to undergo treatment.

The plaintiff’s lawyer, Frank Michel, said during the trial that the victim was in shock and demanded damages of 25,000 euros.

Ben Yedder was charged after a woman filed a lawsuit against him in September. He can appeal against the ruling.

The 34-year-old player, a prolific striker who has also played for the national team, was briefly detained and then released after the incident in his car on the French Riviera. He was arrested at his home later that evening after initially refusing to stop his car.

The court also ordered the suspension of Ben Yedder’s driver’s license for six months.

After his arrest, Ben Yedder – who has since started alcohol detox and therapy – admitted to driving under the influence. He said he was so drunk during the trial that he doesn’t remember any sexual assault.

Ben Yedder has been without a club since his contract with Monaco expired at the end of last season.

He scored 16 goals with three assists in the French league last season and helped Monaco finish second behind Paris Saint-Germain. In five seasons at Monaco, he scored 118 times in 201 appearances in all competitions, becoming the club’s second-highest scorer behind retired Argentine striker Delio Onnis (223).

Ben Yedder played nineteen international matches for France, the last of which was in June 2022.

Last year, Ben Yedder was charged in a separate lawsuit with rape, attempted rape and sexual assault over another alleged incident in the south of France.