Star of Sheffield Wednesday, Millwall and Stoke City relegation foes faces jail for breaking truck driver's skull with a rock

Moroccan international Ilias Chair scored the winner in Rangers' 1-0 win over Bristol City as recently as Saturday, but this week travelled to Antwerp to face charges for his role in a fight for which he stood accused of attacking a trucker named only as 'Niels T' in an altercation that took place in northern France in the summer of 2020.

Widespread reports claim Chair, who was born in Belgium, was found guilty of inflicting injuries that were 'almost fatal' and was sentenced to 12 months in prison with a further year suspended. The 26-year-old trickster was also instructed to pay his victim £13,400 compensation for his injuries.

Reports from the court detail that Chair, his brother and some friends got into an argument with victim 'Niels T' while they waited to catch a bus to Belgium in the small town of Bazeilles after a kayaking trip. The court heard that the fight started out as a result of a 'woman in a green bikini hitting, scratching and biting' others as she demanded to be the first onto the bus.

The wording of a statement from QPR suggests the proceedings are 'still ongoing', suggesting that if the widespread reports are accurate, an appeals process is possible. It is not known whether Chair would be able to play for QPR while that process is undertaken.

Antwerp's public prosecutor told a hearing in January: "According to many people involved, Ilias Chair lashed out at Niels T with a stone and knocked him unconscious.

"The consequences were dramatic for Niels T. He suffered a severe skull fracture, two centimetres long, and was taken to hospital at Reims in critical condition. Afterwards he had to recover for a long time in a Belgian hospital, and could not do his job as a lorry driver for a long time. The blow was almost fatal for him, and he still feels the after-effects."

Niels T's lawyer stated: "My client almost lost his life, and it took surgeons to save him. He was unable to work for a long time, and still suffers adverse reactions every day to having been hit with a rock."

QPR have since released a short statement that reads: "The club are, and have been, in regular contact with Ilias Chair’s legal team regarding a charge of assault which has been made against him. The legal proceeding is yet to reach its conclusion. As such, the club will be making no further comment at this stage."

Chair has four goals and five assists in the Championship this season. After their impressive win over Bristol City - Wednesday's next opponents - Marti Cifuentes' side remain a place and three points ahead of the Owls in 22nd place. They are a point behind Millwall in the first safety spot.