Former Wolves Striker Rafael Mir Sentenced to Eight-and-a-Half Years for Sexual Assault

Former Wolves and Nottingham Forest striker Rafael Mir has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison after a Valencia court found him guilty of sexual assault. The 28-year-old, currently on loan at Elche from Sevilla, received a seven-year prison sentence for sexual assault and an additional one year and six months for assault causing bodily harm.

Mir was also ordered to pay 64,000 euros (£55,000) as compensation for the victim. His lawyer had previously stated that Mir categorically denied the accusations, asserting that any intercourse was consensual. Mir posted on Instagram that he disagrees with the ruling and intends to appeal.

Mir and his friend Pablo Jara were arrested in September 2024 following accusations from two women of sexual assault at Mir's home in Betera. The court stated that Mir "sexually assaulted one of the women in the swimming pool and in a bathroom" at his house after meeting the women at a nightclub in Valencia. Mir was playing at Valencia on loan from Sevilla at the time of his arrest.

His friend, Pablo Jara, received a two-year sentence for sexual assault against a second victim and a further six months for an offence against moral integrity. Jara was also ordered to pay a 6,280 euros (£5,400) fine.

In response to Mir's sentence, Sevilla released a statement expressing its "utmost respect for judicial proceedings and expresses our firm and unequivocal condemnation of any type of violence, abuse, or sexual assault." The club added that "Such conduct has no place in our society or in the values promoted by sport."

Mir moved to Wolves from Valencia in 2018, making four appearances for the club. He later joined Sevilla in 2021 following loan spells at Nottingham Forest, Las Palmas, and Huesca. He was also part of Spain's team at the Tokyo Olympics.

According to Yahoo Sports Soccer, Mir can appeal the sentence.