Police investigate rape claim against top footballer
· Two women allege they were attacked in hotel
· Case involving young star latest in series of scandals
Sandra Laville
Thursday October 6, 2005
The Guardian
A Premiership footballer is being investigated by police after two women claimed they were raped at a hotel in London after being picked up by the player at a West End nightclub.
Detectives from Operation Sapphire, which investigates all sexual assaults in the capital, are in the process of interviewing the women about the allegations, which centre on a highly paid young player who is an international. The allegations are the latest in a series of claims of rape and gang rape - or roasting - made against Premiership stars in the last two years. Although none of the allegations has been substantiated the flurry of claims - many of which were played out in the pages of tabloid newspapers - focused attention on the behaviour of young, highly paid footballers both on and off the pitch.
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In the latest case the women told police they met the player and one of his friends, neither of whom have been named, at a West End nightclub on Saturday night. They said the four later went back to a £1,000 a night suite in a five star hotel where, the women have claimed, both men took turns to rape them. The footballer had played in a Premiership game that day and was understood to be staying overnight at the hotel.
Detectives have taken statements from the women and are assessing the details of their allegations.
It is understood that the player concerned has not yet been informed that he is the subject of the allegations. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said yesterday: "We can confirm police are investigating allegations of serious sexual assault at a location in central London in the early hours of Sunday."
Scenes of crimes officers sealed off the penthouse apartment at the hotel yesterday and police also visited the nightclub, where they interviewed staff and collected CCTV footage.
The focus on allegations about Premiership stars has raised questions about their behaviour and that of young women who may pursue them and then make claims of sexual assault through the pages of newspapers. In a world where players are earning tens of thousands of pounds a week, some have complained that they are easy prey for women who want to sell their stories.
But with rape convictions at an all-time low in London - only one in five allegations results in a caution or charge - there are also fears that not enough is being done to pursue successful prosecutions. A review into convictions by Scotland Yard is due to be completed in the next few weeks. Initial findings have focused on the need to always use specially trained officers to investigate rape allegations.
Last year the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to proceed against two Premiership stars, Carlton Cole of Chelsea and Titus Bramble, the Newcastle United defender. Both men were accused by a 17-year-old girl of taking part in a gang rape at the Grosvenor House hotel in central London. The case received widespread media coverage with one of the four accused confiding to the News of the World that such behaviour was common among footballers.
Another case of unproven sexual assault allegations involved three Leicester City footballers who were accused of raping three German tourists at a hotel in La Manga, southern Spain. All charges against the men - Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair and Keith Gillespie - were dropped amid claims that the women were prostitutes.
Dutch police are investigating a claim that Robin van Persie, Arsenal's Dutch forward, raped a beauty queen in Rotterdam last summer. Van Persie was held for two weeks in custody. He denies all charges.
Devon and Cornwall police announced yesterday that no further action was being taken against Rufus Brevett, a Plymouth Argyle defender who was detained in August on suspicion of raping a 20-year-old woman and had been due to report back to police today
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I hate to be the one to point it out, but Fulham were at home to Man Utd that day, and Man Utd have a few "young internationals". Could be one of thiers.
· Two women allege they were attacked in hotel
· Case involving young star latest in series of scandals
Sandra Laville
Thursday October 6, 2005
The Guardian
A Premiership footballer is being investigated by police after two women claimed they were raped at a hotel in London after being picked up by the player at a West End nightclub.
Detectives from Operation Sapphire, which investigates all sexual assaults in the capital, are in the process of interviewing the women about the allegations, which centre on a highly paid young player who is an international. The allegations are the latest in a series of claims of rape and gang rape - or roasting - made against Premiership stars in the last two years. Although none of the allegations has been substantiated the flurry of claims - many of which were played out in the pages of tabloid newspapers - focused attention on the behaviour of young, highly paid footballers both on and off the pitch.
Article continues
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In the latest case the women told police they met the player and one of his friends, neither of whom have been named, at a West End nightclub on Saturday night. They said the four later went back to a £1,000 a night suite in a five star hotel where, the women have claimed, both men took turns to rape them. The footballer had played in a Premiership game that day and was understood to be staying overnight at the hotel.
Detectives have taken statements from the women and are assessing the details of their allegations.
It is understood that the player concerned has not yet been informed that he is the subject of the allegations. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said yesterday: "We can confirm police are investigating allegations of serious sexual assault at a location in central London in the early hours of Sunday."
Scenes of crimes officers sealed off the penthouse apartment at the hotel yesterday and police also visited the nightclub, where they interviewed staff and collected CCTV footage.
The focus on allegations about Premiership stars has raised questions about their behaviour and that of young women who may pursue them and then make claims of sexual assault through the pages of newspapers. In a world where players are earning tens of thousands of pounds a week, some have complained that they are easy prey for women who want to sell their stories.
But with rape convictions at an all-time low in London - only one in five allegations results in a caution or charge - there are also fears that not enough is being done to pursue successful prosecutions. A review into convictions by Scotland Yard is due to be completed in the next few weeks. Initial findings have focused on the need to always use specially trained officers to investigate rape allegations.
Last year the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to proceed against two Premiership stars, Carlton Cole of Chelsea and Titus Bramble, the Newcastle United defender. Both men were accused by a 17-year-old girl of taking part in a gang rape at the Grosvenor House hotel in central London. The case received widespread media coverage with one of the four accused confiding to the News of the World that such behaviour was common among footballers.
Another case of unproven sexual assault allegations involved three Leicester City footballers who were accused of raping three German tourists at a hotel in La Manga, southern Spain. All charges against the men - Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair and Keith Gillespie - were dropped amid claims that the women were prostitutes.
Dutch police are investigating a claim that Robin van Persie, Arsenal's Dutch forward, raped a beauty queen in Rotterdam last summer. Van Persie was held for two weeks in custody. He denies all charges.
Devon and Cornwall police announced yesterday that no further action was being taken against Rufus Brevett, a Plymouth Argyle defender who was detained in August on suspicion of raping a 20-year-old woman and had been due to report back to police today
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I hate to be the one to point it out, but Fulham were at home to Man Utd that day, and Man Utd have a few "young internationals". Could be one of thiers.
thats were they deserve to be if they are found to be lying.