Premier League club of recently arrested player aware of rape allegation made against him last autumn

Unnamed player now being investigated by police still played for his club last season

A player recently arrested on suspicion of rape played for his Premier League club last season despite their knowledge of allegations as early as the autumn. Photograph:  Alex Livesey/Getty Images
A player recently arrested on suspicion of rape played for his Premier League club last season despite their knowledge of allegations as early as the autumn. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The Premier League club of the footballer arrested on Monday on suspicion of rape was made aware of a rape allegation against the player last autumn, the Guardian understands.

The player, who is not being named for legal reasons, continued to play in the first team last season.

The player was taken into custody by the Metropolitan police in the early hours of Monday before being released on bail on Tuesday until August.

A statement from Scotland Yard on Tuesday read: “On 4th July, an allegation of rape of a woman in her 20s was reported to police. It was reported the alleged rape happened in June 2022. On 4th July, a 29-year-old man was arrested at an address in Barnet on suspicion of rape and taken into custody.

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“While in custody, he was further arrested on suspicion of two incidents of rape that were alleged to have been committed in April and June of 2021 against a different woman in her 20s. He has subsequently been released on bail to a date in August. Inquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.”

The club declined to comment.

- Guardian