CPS given file over Premier League footballer rape claims

The Metropolitan Police has passed a afloat grounds record astir a Premier League footballer accused of rape to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for a charging decision, the BBC has been told.

The CPS said it is cautiously reviewing the record of grounds successful narration to a man, portion the Met said it is continuing to analyse pursuing reports of alleged intersexual offences betwixt 2021 and 2023.

This follows connected from a BBC News investigation which spoke to 5 women who accused the footballer of rape, intersexual battle oregon controlling behaviour.

Despite 4 of those women reporting the man, who we are calling Player X, to the police, helium has continued to play for his Premier League club.

One of the women, who we are calling Kira, archetypal reported Player X to the constabulary successful August 2021 and is calling connected the CPS to prioritise making a charging decision, owed to the terrible affectional toll the lengthy process has had connected her.

She antecedently told the BBC the deficiency of enactment from the nine and governing assemblage the Football Association (FA) successful effect to the allegations, aft she contacted their safeguarding teams, contributed to her attempting to instrumentality her ain life.

"I didn't privation to beryllium successful a satellite wherever I'm perpetually reminded that rape allegations tin beryllium ignored arsenic agelong arsenic you're talented enough," she said.

Another pistillate said they judge if Player X had been suspended by his nine oregon the FA aft the archetypal allegation, she would not person gone connected to beryllium sexually assaulted.

The BBC probe recovered 7 retired of 20 Premier League clubs person had players oregon bosses investigated by the constabulary for intersexual offences since 2020.

The FA and Premier League some accidental they instrumentality intersexual misconduct precise seriously.

Player X was archetypal arrested connected suspicion of rape successful July 2022 pursuing a study from 1 woman. Shortly afterwards helium was besides arrested for an earlier allegation of rape from a 2nd woman, who reported him to the constabulary successful August 2021.

He was questioned by constabulary successful February 2023 astir allegations of intersexual battle made by a 3rd woman.

In November 2024 the footballer was further questioned by constabulary astir an allegation of rape from 2023 made by a 4th women.

Privacy rules regarding the recognition of suspects means the BBC is not naming the footballer. The subordinate has denied wrongdoing, the BBC understands.

A Metropolitan spokesperson constabulary told the BBC connected Wednesday: "A afloat record has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

"Those who person travel guardant to constabulary proceed to person enactment from Met officers."

The player's nine and the Premier League antecedently told the BBC they were incapable to remark connected an ongoing constabulary investigation.

After archetypal going to the constabulary successful August 2021, Kira emailed the FA, Premier League and the nine astir her allegations the pursuing period "in desperation", arsenic she was disquieted astir him continuing to play connected specified a large level portion helium was being investigated.

The nine told her it couldn't sermon her allegations for ineligible reasons. The Premier League directed her to the FA.

More than 4 months aft contacting the FA astir her allegations, it told her successful emails that it could instrumentality "no further action" arsenic the alleged behaviour did not breach its regulations.

It stated determination was "no evidence" to suggest that Player X "poses a hazard of harm to children oregon adults astatine risk". It sent her a PDF papers that was titled "Football's Safeguarding Children policy" - which did not use to her.

"They were hiding down their deficiency of policies whilst knowing that the regulations they did person acceptable up were meant to support profits, not victims," says Kira.

In July 2024, Kira again approached the club, Premier League and FA - sending them grounds that she was a "vulnerable adult".

In an email, seen by the BBC, the nine told her they had passed her correspondence onto the Premier League and the FA. The Premier League told her it was incapable to sermon allegations presently nether constabulary investigation. And the FA, told her it couldn't stock immoderate details oregon updates regarding if immoderate FA interventions person been taken.

"Further, we notation to our email…where we explained we are not the leader of the individual," it added.

Speaking astir the effect Kira told the BBC their correspondence has "reinforced a devastating connection that I don't matter, that much women coming guardant doesn't matter, and that adjacent erstwhile I conscionable safeguarding requirements, it volition ne'er matter".

Another pistillate - Mia - said she believes if the FA and nine had acted erstwhile they were archetypal alerted to a rape allegation successful 2021, she wouldn't person aboriginal gone to the location of Player X wherever she alleges helium sexually assaulted her.

"If they had decided to instrumentality the archetypal allegation seriously... if they had suspended him, I ne'er would person been successful that concern that I was successful that day," she told the BBC.

"Their determination caused maine to suffer," she said.

While the FA has elaborate policies successful spot for players accused of betting connected the game, determination isn't thing akin for players accused of intersexual oregon home unit that takes spot beyond the shot environment.

Some lawyers successful the UK person noted the galore ineligible difficulties facing shot clubs erstwhile considering however to woody with a subordinate facing allegations of intersexual oregon home violence, without overarching rules successful place.

A spokesperson for the FA said: "Our safeguarding policies and procedures let america to enactment and support children and adults astatine hazard wrong a football-related environment."

"Regardless of wherever the incidental took place, if the idiosyncratic has a relation wrong football, we ever transportation retired a thorough safeguarding hazard appraisal and instrumentality the due enactment if we judge determination is simply a hazard of harm to children. We are incapable to remark connected circumstantial cases, but that does not mean that we haven't taken the required enactment oregon applied due safeguards wrong our jurisdiction."

And if you are affected by immoderate of the issues successful this story, contact BBC Action Line for details of proposal and support.