Towards the end of October, it was confirmed that Mason Greenwood had avoided an immediate stint in jail after being released on bail in a private hearing. This related to charges including attempted rape and coercive behaviour. He was set to face trial in November 2023.
However, as reported in the Daily Mail, a decision on Thursday was made to discontinue prosecution in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
A CPS spokesperson said: “We have a duty to keep cases under continuous review. In this case a combination of the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light meant there was no longer a realistic prospect of conviction. In these circumstances, we are under a duty to stop the case.
“We have explained our decision to all parties. ‘We would always encourage any potential victims to come forward and report to police and we will prosecute wherever our legal test is met.”
On 21 November, Greenwood, appeared before a judge at his latest court hearing, with the case adjourned until 10 February.
Back in October, Greenwood was remanded in custody after appearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court charged with attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault.
It was thought that he could end up spending at least a month in jail, but he was granted bail after another hearing at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester.
Following the hearing, a spokesman for the court said bail had been granted, with conditions not to contact witnesses, including the complainant, and to reside at an address on Bow Green Road in Bowdon.
Previously, reports stated that the 21-year-old had been arrested once again after breaking the terms of his previous bail agreement in relation to domestic abuse and sexual assault allegations that emerged at the beginning of last year.
It was then later confirmed that the “CPS has authorised GMP to charge Mason Greenwood, 21, with attempted rape, engaging in controlling + coercive behaviour, and assault occasioning actual bodily harm. All 3 counts relate to same complainant.”
Prosecuting authority Rebecca Macaulay-Addison stated that Greenwood was accused of attempting to rape the complainant on 22 October 2021, assault in December 2021, and controlling and coercive behaviour between November 2018 and October this year. This would imply at least some of Greenwood’s “controlling and coercive behaviour” continued well after the allegations from former girlfriend Harriet Robson first were exposed at the end of January 2022.
Greenwood was also apparently accused of monitoring the complainant’s social media accounts and “making threats and derogatory comments towards her, amounting to a serious effect upon her”.
Chief Superintendent Michaela Kerr, GMP’s Head of Public Protection has now provided more details on the decision.
“Given the significant media coverage of this case, it is only fair that we share the news that the 21-year-old man, who had been arrested and charged in connection with an investigation opened in January 2022, no longer faces criminal proceedings in relation to this.
“The investigation team has remained in regular contact with the legal team, providing any updates of note, and so understand the rationale for the discontinuation of proceedings at this stage, and that this decision has not been taken lightly.”
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Towards the end of June, it was confirmed that Greenwood had his police bail extended once again as investigations continued after damning videos and images came to light on the social media account of Robson.
Greenwood has since remained under ongoing investigation for the better part of the last year.
Increasingly it appeared that his future with Manchester United would be viewed as untenable, but it now remains to be seen what stance the club will take.