AKIL GRIER

FORMER WEST BROMWICH ALBION YOUTH TEAM FOOTBALLER JAILED FOR RAPE

A former youth player for West Bromwich Albion has been sentenced to prison for the rape of a woman in a car park.

Akil Grier, aged 26, was sentenced to five years at Birmingham Crown Court after a traumatic sexual assault on a young mother.

Grier attacked the woman, whom he had met through Tinder, after traveling from Sutton Coldfield to Worcester on March 16, 2016.

Grier was an academy player at West Brom and left the club in 2012, subsequently playing for several non-league teams.

The assault occurred around 11 pm in the parking lot of a veterinary practice on Henwick Road.

The two individuals had been chatting on Tinder for about a month before their encounter.

Their first face-to-face meeting took place at Nando's in Worcester around 9 pm.

They had only corresponded online prior to the meeting, and the woman has since warned others about the risks of dating apps.

Apart from the five-year prison sentence for rape, Grier was convicted of sexual assault and received a two-year conditional discharge.

He will also be on the sex offenders' register for ten years and has been ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120.

This case highlights the dangers associated with online dating platforms and the importance of staying cautious when meeting new people from the internet.