Ferguson will not be prosecuted as assault claims prove unfounded

MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson will not be prosecuted over claims he indecently assaulted a woman in South Africa, police said yesterday.

The Old Trafford boss had been the subject of an investigation following claims he assaulted 21-year-old Nadia Abrahams in a car in Cape Town.

But senior superintendent Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said yesterday the Director of Public Prosecutions would not be pursuing the claims any further.

“The DPP has decided not to prosecute. It is the end of the matter.”

Asked if proceedings could be taken against Ms Abrahams, who made the allegations on Friday morning, she added: “I don’t know if there’s going to be charges against the woman.”

A spokesman for the South African DPP said: “We feel our time and everybody else’s has been wasted. There are no grounds for prosecution.”

Nadia Abrahams, from South Africa, accused Mr Ferguson of indecently assaulting her in her car as they returned from a local jazz club on Friday.

Ferguson, 60, had strongly denied the claims and said he was “targeted” by people trying to lure him into a sex scandal.

He insisted claims he assaulted Nadia Abrahams while being driven back to his hotel “untrue and entirely without foundation”.

Ms Abrahams told Sunday newspaper the Mail on Sunday that during the drive to Ferguson’s hotel he “kept leaning across and grabbing my thigh”.

She described meeting him in the club and feeling uncomfortable when they were speaking.

“I felt uncomfortable, not what he was saying, but because he was giving me so much attention.

“I felt a bit boxed in by him.”