Footballer who’s accused of child sex offences has evidence sent to prosecutors

The case of a professional footballer arrested for alleged child sex offences in July 2021 is now being examined by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Greater Manchester Police referred the case to prosecutors last week, who will now determine whether to bring a criminal prosecution against the player, who has not been named for legal reasons.

The player was immediately suspended by his club following his initial arrest and has been out on bail for around 18 months. He has not been allowed to leave the country while on bail.

A CPS spokesperson gave a statement to The Mirror on Wednesday, which read: "We received a file of evidence from Greater Manchester Police on 31 January 2023 following an investigation into allegations of multiple sexual offences.

"We are considering this material in line with our legal test."

Crown prosecutors must now decide if there is sufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction and that pursuing a criminal prosecution is in the public interest.

They follow a code which outlines a threshold test that must be passed to proceed and it's understood that no further comment will be made by the CPS until their lawyers reach a decision.

In the immediate aftermath of the player's arrest, his club confirmed in a statement that they "will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries".

The athlete had his £2.5million home raided by police, where several items were reportedly seized. The arrest sent shockwaves throughout the football community.

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