Rabat – The Belgian-born Moroccan international Ilias Chair has been handed a one-year prison sentence after being found guilty of assaulting a truck driver by breaking his skull with a rock, British tabloid The Sun reported.
The Queens Park Rangers (QPR) defender has also been ordered to pay £13,400 in compensation to the victim, according to the report. The court in his hometown of Antwerp further suspended an additional 12-month sentence.
The incident reportedly occurred during a dispute in Bazeilles, northern France, in the summer of 2020.
The trial revealed that Chair, along with his brother Jaber and friends, engaged in a confrontation with the trucker while waiting for a bus back to Belgium after a kayaking trip.
According to the prosecution, as reported by British media, the 26-year-old player struck the victim with a stone, rendering him unconscious and causing a severe skull fracture.
Niels T, the truck driver involved in the altercation, suffered critical injuries and underwent extensive medical treatment. He was reportedly unable to work for an extended period due to the severity of his condition.
In response to the verdict, QPR issued a statement confirming that they are aware of the legal proceedings against the player but refrained from making further comments while the legal process is ongoing.
“The legal proceeding is yet to reach its conclusion. As such, the club will be making no further comment at this stage,” the QPR said.
Chair’s brother, Jaber, also faced legal consequences, receiving a six-month suspended jail term and a £700 fine for his involvement in the incident.
The news comes at a challenging time for QPR, who are currently fighting to avoid relegation to League One.
Chair, who is a key figure in the team, last featured for QPR on February 17 when he scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory against Bristol City.
