A FORMER professional footballer is to be sentenced for a sex attack on a young woman as she slept in her bed.

Ex-Manchester City and Celtic player Chris Killen was in a "stupefied state" from alcohol when he went into the spare bedroom of the house the woman was staying in, in Bury, and touched her sexually.

Killen admitted a single charge of sexual assault shortly before he was due to go on trial before a jury at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, on June 21 — having earlier pleaded not guilty.

He was due to be sentenced yesterday, but the case was re-listed for today.

New Zealand-born Killen represented his country in the 2010 World Cup after playing for Middlesbrough and Celtic and starting his career with Manchester City as a trainee.

His playing career also included stints at Hibernian, Norwich, Oldham Athletic, Port Vale and Wrexham.

Defence counsel Lisa Judge said that Killen, of London Road, Adlington, near Macclesfield, had "no relevant" previous convictions.