Ronaldo on bail over rape allegation

MANCHESTER United footballer Cristiano Ronaldo was yesterday arrested and interviewed by police over an allegation of rape.

The Portuguese international, aged 20, went voluntarily to a police station in Manchester with his lawyer to attend an appointment with detectives.

Ronaldo told officers he was completely innocent.

He was later released on police bail, to return on an unknown date.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: “The man in his 20s has been bailed pending further inquiries to return at a future date.”

Two women have alleged he and another man took them to a penthouse suite in the Sanderson Hotel in London on October 2 after they met at a nightspot. The attack is alleged to have happened in the hotel.

Ronaldo was arrested by officers from the Operation Sapphire team, which investigates sex crime.

A man in his 30s, who is said to have been with him on the night, also kept an appointment at the police station but was not arrested.

After Ronaldo’s interview, police may pass their findings to the Crown Prosecution Service to decide whether to prosecute.

But Ronaldo has told friends he is the victim of a “stitch-up”.

Manchester United director of communications Phil Townsend said: “We’re not commenting at the moment.”

The allegations against Ronaldo follow a series of high-profile cases involving sex allegations against footballers. In September 2004, two Premiership players were interviewed over an alleged gang rape at the Grosvenor House hotel in London.

The Crown Prosecution Service later decided there was insufficient evidence for them to be charged.

Also last year, three Leicester City players faced allegations of sexually assaulting three women in a five-star hotel in Spain.

They spent six nights in jail there but all charges against them were dropped.

In January last year, rape charges were dropped against ex-Chelsea player Jody Morris and a friend after they were accused of raping a woman in Leeds.

Arsenal’s Dutch striker Robin van Persie was held in jail in Rotterdam earlier this year after being accused of rape. He was released after two weeks and maintains his innocence.

A spokesman at the office of Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, said Mr Mendes was thought to be out of the country but could not confirm whether he was visiting Britain.