Police who arrested a prominent Premier League footballer for three alleged rapes received the first complaints about him 11 months ago, it is understood.
Scotland Yard was notified of an allegation in August last year, but the case report was initially passed on to an overseas force linked to the complainant. Detectives finally launched an investigation in March, after establishing “jurisdiction” for that charge and then also receiving a second charge in February.
The confirmation that the suspect has been facing an investigation for months came after a report in The Guardian claimed the player’s club had been aware of an allegation since last fall.
Telegraph Sport revealed on Monday how the player was arrested in the early hours for an alleged rape allegedly taking place last month. The international, who is in his late twenties and cannot be named by name for legal reasons, was subsequently interrogated more than two other rape allegations last year by another woman. He was released on bail Tuesday until next month after spending about 30 hours in custody and questioned about the three alleged attacks.
In an updated statement, the Met Police confirmed in a statement to Telegraph Sport that “a rape allegation was reported to the Metropolitan Police Service in August 2021”. “This alleged offense took place outside the UK and the MPS has turned over the report to the complainant’s domestic police to take further action as appropriate and support the complainant as usual,” the statement said.
“In February 2022, the complainant made another report to the MPS on an alleged offense of rape committed in London. The MPS conducted investigations to determine whether it had legal authority to investigate the allegations, both abroad and in London. Once jurisdiction was confirmed, the MPS began investigating both cases in March 2022. Detailed investigations continue, along with specialist support for the complainant.”
It is unclear whether the prominent player will have any involvement in the preparations for the season after he has been released on bail over three claims allegedly made in the past year.
However, the Object campaign group, which contends with what it describes as “sex object culture,” says the player should be banned from playing while an investigation is underway.
“Of course the club should suspend him pending investigations and make that public,” Object said in a statement. “Without passing judgment, we know that such cases are often dropped and that the chance of a conviction is minimal and will not happen for years.”
The club has been contacted by Telegraph Sport and is aware that the player is being questioned. The player is internationally renowned and it is unclear whether he will now play in his club’s match schedule. The Premier League season starts on August 5 and the player will also play at the World Cup in Qatar in November.