Ex-world darts champ Ted ‘The Count’ Hankey freed from jail after just one year for pinning woman down in sex attack

FORMER world darts champion Ted "The Count" Hankey was freed from jail after just one year for pinning a woman down in a sex attack.

The 56-year-old was locked up for two years in May 2022 after sexually assaulting the woman with an "air of entitlement".

Hankey was released automatically from prison in 2023 after serving just half his sentence, the Ministry of Justice confirmed.

He remains on the Sex Offenders Register after pleading guilty to one count of sexual assault.

Chester Crown Court was told Hankey pinned the woman down and attacked her on September 10, 2021.

The former champion had no idea the attack was caught on camera and he was arrested the same day.

Hankey answered "no comment" to police while he was quizzed in custody.

The judge said Hankey would have "denied it to the bitter end" if the attack was not been caught on film.

He added: "You genuinely believed nobody would believe her, until you were shown the damning evidence.

"The nature of what you did, the fact that you pinned her down, that air of entitlement... You treated her as an object for your own disgusting and deviant sexual desires.

"Your self-pity about the loss of status and ability to earn money - I'm sure you will never play darts again on television."

The former darts player is famous for using the nickname "The Count" and dressing up as a vampire for tournaments.

He is a two-time World Professional Darts Champion after winning in both 2000 and 2009.

Hankey, who lives in Telford, was also runner up in the BDO competition twice.

He withdrew from the 2022 World Seniors Darts Championship, which took place in February.

In 2012, Hankey suffered a mini-stroke and missed the 2013 PDC World Darts Championship.