Mason Greenwood: Rachel Riley accuses Man Utd of 'gaslighting'

Mason Greenwood's past quality for Manchester United was against West Ham successful January 2022

Rachel Riley has accused Manchester United of "gaslighting" and "green lighting" maltreatment for their handling of the determination to portion institution with Mason Greenwood.

It came aft charges against the player, including attempted rape and assault, were dropped successful February.

"Right decision, horrendous statement," tv presenter Riley wrote.

In explaining the lengthy process down their decision, a Manchester United connection claimed Greenwood "did not perpetrate the offences successful respect of which helium was primitively charged", adding: "Based connected the grounds disposable to us, we person concluded that the worldly posted online did not supply a afloat picture."

An unfastened missive from main enforcement Richard Arnold besides said: "While we were incapable to entree definite grounds for reasons we respect, the grounds we did collate led america to reason that Mason did not perpetrate the acts helium was charged with".

And Greenwood issued a connection saying helium accepted helium had "made mistakes" and took his "share of responsibility", but added: "I did not bash the things I was accused of."

Arnold said that Greenwood's imaginable reintegration was "one of the outcomes we considered and planned for" but that "several outcomes person been contemplated and planned for" and his presumption "evolved".

However, United instrumentality Riley claimed the club's statements were "gaslighting" - a word utilized to picture a signifier of manipulation wherever a idiosyncratic is fixed mendacious accusation that leads them to question the truth.

She besides accused the nine of "green lighting" maltreatment connected societal media, saying: "This overreaching connection volition enactment upwind successful the sails of abusers and nonstop a connection to victims it's much occupation than it's worthy to study alleged abuse. It's truthful disappointing to spot my nine lend to the civilization that upholds this."

"The question earlier them [United] was not whether Mason Greenwood whitethorn beryllium recovered blameworthy successful a criminal, oregon adjacent civilian court, it was whether he's acceptable to deterioration the United badge, to beryllium a relation exemplary to kids who look up to footballers arsenic heroes, and person his sanction proudly displayed connected shirts sold successful the nine shop," Riley wrote connected X, formerly known arsenic Twitter.

Riley had antecedently said she would halt supporting United if guardant Greenwood stayed astatine the club.

She besides told podcast The News Agents: "I deliberation it's gaslighting for radical to person 2 statements saying, Mason Greenwood himself saying he's been cleared of each charges - which is not the case, the claims were dropped due to the fact that the cardinal witnesser dropped retired - and they [United] assertion caller evidence.

"I've ne'er been much ashamed of the club. I deliberation it's conscionable a disgrace. And they had different accidental to marque it right, marque a bully connection and they person conscionable greenlighted the maltreatment that's been going connected on societal media."

Writing connected X connected Tuesday, the Countdown co-presenter said: "I've been a reddish since earlier I was born, I've passed it connected to my babe girls and immoderate of the all-time champion times of my beingness person been moving with and cheering connected Man United, truthful I constitute with specified a dense bosom - arsenic a nine we've handled this appallingly."

BBC Sport has approached Manchester United for comment.

'Arnold should see position'

England planetary Greenwood was arrested successful January 2022 pursuing allegations surrounding worldly published online.

He was aboriginal charged successful October 2022 with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and battle occasioning existent bodily harm.

After the charges were dropped successful February 2023, the Crown Prosecution Service said cardinal witnesses had withdrawn and caller worldly had travel to light, meaning determination was "no longer a realistic imaginable of conviction".

United past started their ain investigation.

On Monday the nine issued 3 statements: from the club, Greenwood and an unfastened missive from Arnold to fans. They came aft a fig of delays amid fierce statement astir Greenwood's imaginable reintegration astatine Old Trafford.

The nine said they wanted to consult with their women's team, immoderate of whom were portion of England's World Cup squad playing successful Australia, earlier announcing a determination astir Greenwood's future.

Arnold said the nine had "limited powers of investigation" and "were reliant connected third-party cooperation" arsenic they "sought to collate arsenic overmuch grounds arsenic imaginable to found facts and context".

He said the other grounds included the alleged unfortunate requesting the constabulary to driblet their probe successful April 2022, and the nine receiving alternate explanations for the worldly that was posted online.

Former United subordinate Gary Neville said United's handling of the Greenwood probe had been "pretty horrible", lacked beardown enactment and should person been dealt with independently.

Riley told The News Agents podcast that Arnold should see his position.

"I've seen archetypal manus however small is known, adjacent amongst professionals who are expected to beryllium dealing with this - I see the police, I see societal services," she said.

"If they don't cognize the intricacies, I don't cognize however a CEO astatine Manchester United who has multimillion pounds astatine involvement is successful immoderate presumption to marque a judgement connected what has happened, particularly having not consulted maltreatment charities."

In her societal media post, Riley said the concern needed "trained, qualified, experienced experts" and it "goes acold beyond the scope of what United were tasked with".

"It is perfectly close a thorough probe should instrumentality place. Yet experts could person utilized their cognition to assistance United navigate the process truthful we could spot the outcome. And an outer enactment with nary vested interests would person been acold much credible," she added.

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