Lions defence coach Joey Mongalo has been convicted and sentenced by an Australian court for indecent assault.

In April last year, Mongalo was accused of, and subsequently charged with allegedly indecently assaulting a female hotel staff member in a stairwell three days after the Lions’ match against the Waratahs.

In October the court case resumed, where it was heard that he allegedly forced a hotel employee to touch him indecently.

Mongalo has since been found guilty, while this week he was handed down an undisclosed sentence in the Downing Centre local court in Sydney.

He will apparently appeal both the conviction and sentence, but has already left the Lions squad, who are currently on tour in New Zealand, to face an internal disciplinary hearing.

‘The Lions Rugby Company, in consideration of the court ruling handed down in the matter of Joey Mongalo, hereby confirms that it respects the judicial processes of the Australian government and the subsequent court ruling in this matter,’ the union said in a statement.

‘The Lions Rugby Company considers misconduct related to assault with the act of indecency particularly serious and a direct violation of Lions Rugby Company values and culture. The Lions Rugby Company will follow the normal internal disciplinary processes regarding the matter.’

The union also stated that there will be ‘no further comment on the matter until the code of conduct process has concluded’.

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Photo: Lee Warren/Joey Mongalo