Mason Greenwood, a forward for Manchester United, won’t be prosecuted for attempted rape and assault any longer, the Crown Prosecution Service announced on Thursday.
Charges that also included coercive and controlling behavior were dropped, the CPS stated in a statement.
Following an inquiry that started in January 2022, Greenwood was officially charged in October.
“In this case, there was no longer a realistic chance of conviction due to the withdrawal of key witnesses and newly discovered evidence. The CPS stated on Thursday that it has a “responsibility to keep cases under continuous review” in these circumstances and that it is “required to stop the case.”
After pictures and videos were posted on social media, the 21-year-old Greenwood was detained in January 2022.
United put him on leave and forbade him from working out with the team.
Following the court’s ruling on Thursday, United stated that it “will now conduct its own procedure before determining the next steps.” Greenwood won’t likely return to training before that procedure is finished.
However, it reaffirmed its “commitment to investigating claims of violence against women and girls,” saying it understood the rationale for ending the case.
