Jailed player sacked by Villa

A disgraced Aston Villa player has been sacked after being jailed for four months for stealing £5,000 from a team-mate.

Christian Kabeya, a Belgian youth international, had a promising future before being caught using the credit card of an unnamed team-mate.

The 19-year-old reserve team player pleaded guilty to eight charges, including obtaining a money transfer from Barclays Bank and obtaining services by deception from Birmingham airline bmi baby.

He has been sacked by the club for gross misconduct after stealing from the fellow reserve team player whose house he shared in Boldmere, Sutton Coldfield.

Kabeya, who represented Belgium at under-16, under-17, under-18 and under-19 level, was listed as living at "no fixed address" at court

Club spokesman Phil Mepham said: "The facts speak for themselves.

"The player has been informed his employment has been terminated by Aston Villa FC for gross misconduct."