Mason Greenwood, Manchester United and England forward, has been cleared of all charges of rape against him.
Greenwood had been arrested by the police in the UK on January 30, 2022, following footage posted online that showed possible attempted rape against his ex-girlfriend.
The incident led to the 21-year-old’s indefinite suspension by Man United. He was thereafter charged to court over allegations of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault.
The Crown Prosecution Service on Thursday said the charges were discontinued after key witnesses withdrew their involvement.
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“We have a duty to keep cases under continuous review,” the police spokesman said.
“In this case a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. In these circumstances, we are under a duty to stop the case.
“We have explained our decision to all parties. We would always encourage any potential victims to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.”
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Greater Manchester Police, through Michaela Kerr, added that the decision not to prosecute Greenwood had “not been taken lightly”.
“The investigation team has remained in regular contact with the legal team, providing any updates of note, and so understand the rationale for the discontinuation of proceedings at this stage, and that this decision has not been taken lightly,” Kerr said.
“Despite the media and public’s interest in this case, we have decided not to comment on it in any further detail.”
The Bradford-born player broke into the first team in 2019.
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He has scored 22 goals in 83 English Premier League appearances for Man United.
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