Mason Greenwood says he’s ‘relieved’ after charges of attempted rape and assault against Manchester United forward are dropped

02/02/2023 19:45

Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood has thanked family, loved ones and friends after being cleared of attempted rape and assault. The Crown Prosecution Service revealed on Thursday that charges of attempted rape, assault and controlling and coercive behaviour against him had been dropped. Greenwood has been cleared of all chargesGetty He was first arrested in January 2022 over the allegations after disturbing images and videos were posted online by a woman. The 21-year-old was later charged by Greater Manchester Police, with a provisional trial set for November 2023. Greenwood had faced one charge of attempted rape, one count of controlling and coercive behaviour and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, all against the same complainant. However, the Crown Prosecution Service has said that it dropped all charges against Greenwood after a key witness withdrew their involvement. A CPS spokesperson said: “We have a duty to keep cases under continuous review. “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. Most read in Football Greenwood breaks silence after police charges dropped as Man United issue statement Manchester United statement after criminal charges against Mason Greenwood are dropped Man United forward Mason Greenwood has all criminal charges against him dropped Agbonlahor performs Antony spin move as host mocks Man United ace and calls him 'bluffer' 'Already?' Fernandes reacts to Cancelo who takes just 17 minutes to record assist on debut Watch the 'loose' tackle from Edu on Arteta 20 years before they teamed up for title bid 'Idiot' landed 'flat on his face' in pitch invasion gone wrong during Man United cup win Fans crack up at footage showing new Arsenal sign Jorginho's lack of pace for Chelsea It is not clear what this means for Greenwood’s future at Old TraffordGETTY “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.” Greenwood has since spoken on the matter, saying: “I am relieved that this matter is now over and I would like to thank my family, loved ones and friends for their support. “There will be no further comment at this time.” Manchester United also revealed they will be conducting an investigation into Greenwood. It is understood the investigation will start immediately and Greenwood is not expected to return to training during that time. However, it is not clear how long the process will take.