Footballer Mason Greenwood due in court on attempted rape charge

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Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood is due in court charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour, and assault.

The 21-year-old faces three counts relating to the same woman.

The player was first held in January over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online.

He had been on bail since then, but was arrested in the Trafford area on Saturday for an alleged breach of conditions.

A few hours later the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had authorised Greater Manchester Police (GMP) to charge Greenwood.

The attempted rape is alleged to have taken place in October 2021.

The controlling and coercive behaviour relates to a period between November 2018 and October this year, while the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm is dated December 2021.

Janet Potter, deputy chief crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said specialist rape prosecutors from the organisation’s complex casework unit authorised the charges following a review of a file of evidence received from GMP.

Greenwood, of Bowdon, is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ Court.

Within hours of the allegations surfacing online at the beginning of the year, the forward – who has made one appearance for England – was suspended from playing or training with the Old Trafford club.

Nike suspended and later terminated its sponsorship deal with Greenwood, while Electronic Arts confirmed his removal from active squads on its Fifa 22 game.