No decision on Leicester players’ bail application

THREE Barclaycard Premiership footballers facing serious sex assault allegations have been told there will be no decision on their bail applications until tomorrow, their lawyer said yesterday.

Leicester City players Frank Sinclair, Paul Dickov and Keith Gillespie yesterday spent a fourth day inside Sangonera prison near Murcia.

Janet Dickov and Sinclair’s girlfriend, Nicola Wealleans, both visited their partners in the jail yesterday.

Gillespie’s girlfriend, Kelly Maguire, and Leicester chief executive Tim Davies have also flown to Spain to support the players’ bid for freedom.

Senior judge Jacinto Areste has been considering submissions lodged by the players’ lawyers at a court in Cartagena that they be released on bail. But it emerged yesterday that there would be no change in their position until at least tomorrow, when they were due to appear before the judge.

Luis Ruiperez, a senior lawyer who is part of their legal team, said a decision would be expected on that day. It meant the players will wake up this morning knowing they face another night in their cells.

Mr Ruiperez said: “On Thursday there will be a new decision. On Thursday you will have news. Until then nothing is going to happen.”

The lawyer visited the players in prison this morning and reported them to be in good health and keen to be set free.

The men have been accused of attacking three African women at the five star Hyatt Regency Hotel where they were staying in the resort of La Manga. They deny the allegations.

There was speculation yesterday that they would be asked to meet their accusers face to face before the judge in order to resolve the matter but Mr Ruiperez would only say this was a “possible” scenario.

The lawyer representing the alleged victims, Encarnacion Gomez, said yesterday new statements were being sought from witnesses who were yet to submit evidence, including staff from the Hyatt.