Bolton midfielder jailed over restaurant assault

STIG TOFTING’S agent last night claimed Bolton would stand by their midfielder after he was sentenced to four months in prison for assaulting a restaurant manager.

The Danish midfielder, a member of the World Cup squad in the summer, was hit with a four-month sentence by the Copenhagen court.

He will not begin the jail term immediately and was flying back late last night to England to re-join Sam Allardyce’s squad while considering an appeal.

And Karsten Aabrink, who represents Tofting’s interests, expects the terrier-like hustler to be in the Bolton squad for this Sunday’s match at Tottenham.

‘‘Bolton have supported Stig and they’re standing by their man and we’re pleased by that. I expect him to play on Sunday and he will be training again tomorrow.’’

Tofting, 33, was convicted of assaulting the manager of Copenhagen’s Cafe Ketchup during a night out with fellow international players following the squad’s return from the World Cup.

Denmark bowed out in the second round after a 3-0 defeat by England in a match which featured Tofting.

The incident at Cafe Ketchup developed after Tofting’s party drew a complaint from staff over singing.

Aabrink admitted that his client was under no illusions of the gravity of the offence when he went to court yesterday.

‘‘He admitted what he did in court so he expected some sort of punishment, but this is tough of course,’’ said Aabrink.

‘‘When he went to court this morning we knew he could be sent to prison, and you can speak about two months or three months - we didn’t know.’’

Tofting avoided jail three years ago when he was given a 20-day suspended sentence following an incident at a restaurant in Aarhus.

‘‘If you are a celebrity, sometimes it counts against you in Denmark,’’ said Aabrink. ‘‘That’s my opinion and I think that is what happened to Stig.’’

Tofting has two weeks in which to appeal, which appears likely, and he may be able to complete the season with Bolton before his fate is determined.

The 33-year old, who has admitted to links with the Hell’s Angels in Denmark, is known as a feisty character.

He also experienced a torrid time as a youth, and it was revealed this year that his father murdered his mother before killing himself when Tofting was just 13.