For about a year, Mason Greenwood has been suspected of having committed serious crimes against his then partner. But now the authorities are announcing that they are ending the investigation into the Manchester United footballer. Important witnesses have withdrawn.
Former England soccer player Mason Greenwood no longer has to fear criminal consequences after allegations of attempted rape and assault. British police have said the charges against the Manchester United striker have been dropped by prosecutors. The Crown Prosecution Service said "there is no longer a realistic prospect of a conviction."
The reasons for the decision to discontinue the proceedings are the withdrawal of important witnesses and new findings, as a spokesman for the public prosecutor explained. Therefore, the authority is obliged to close the case. The 21-year-old will "no longer be prosecuted," said a statement from Greater Manchester Police. The decision was not easy. This suggests that investigators are more likely to see a lack of evidence than to be convinced of the footballer's innocence.
Greenwood later said of himself: "I am relieved that this matter is now closed and I would like to thank my family, loved ones and friends for their support," he said in his statement. United also released a statement. "The club will now conduct their own process before deciding on the next steps. We will not make any further comments until this process is completed," the club said. Until then, Greenwood should not be allowed to train or play again, as the BBC wrote.
Greenwood was first arrested in January 2022 on serious allegations of violence and abuse and death threats against his then partner. This had published pictures on Instagram showing injuries. There was also audio recordings of Greenwood allegedly attempting to force the woman into sexual activity. The posts were later deleted.
Manchester United suspended Greenwood shortly after the allegations against him became public. Since then he has not been allowed to play or train with the English football champions. The club had announced that Greenwood would remain suspended until the process was completed. The police also emphasized in their statement on the cessation that they would continue to investigate allegations of violence against women and girls and called on victims to report to the authorities.
