Judge to rule on footballers' sex attack charges

A Spanish judge is deciding today whether six Leicester City players accused in connection with an alleged sex attack on three women should be formally charged.

Matt Elliott, Keith Gillespie, Lilian Nalis, Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair and James Scowcroft are alleged to have been involved in an incident in which a group of men barged into a hotel room in the La Manga resort and attacked the women, leaving them with multiple injuries.

At a press conference in Leicester this morning, the Premiership club’s chief operations manager, Paul Mace, said: “The players wish me to stress to you … that they protest their innocence most strongly.”

But he announced that the allegations were viewed with the “utmost seriousness” and “no stone would be left unturned”.

He said a “full internal investigation” would take place.

The six players, who were training in La Manga, were arrested earlier this week.

They were seen leaving a police station in Cartagena this morning after being kept in custody overnight following a day-long court hearing yesterday.

A police van arrived at the court complex later for the hearing at which officials predicted that a decision would be taken on whether to charge the players.

It is believed they may take part in an identification process involving the alleged victims.

It is also possible the results of blood tests will be examined to establish if any of the players can be linked to clothing produced by the alleged victims.

George Outhwaite, the British vice consul in Alicante, said it was likely that a decision on any charges would be made at today’s hearing.

Speaking at the court, he said: “I assume that they are giving evidence. They started the statement this morning. The proceedings have begun at the moment.

“They could be released on bail, they could be kept in custody or they could be released without charge.

“Before charges are made, they will want to make sure there is enough evidence and enough proof.”

The woman investigating judge hearing the case is Pilar Perez Martin.

Scores of journalists, mainly Spanish and British, have converged on the court building but the proceedings were being conducted behind closed doors.

Two other players, Nikos Dabizas and Danny Coyne, were “provisionally released” following yesterday’s hearing and were driven away in the back of an estate car, hiding beneath coats from the media scrum gathered outside the court.

A ninth player, Steffen Freund, who had also been arrested in relation to the allegations, had earlier been released from the court without charge.

Mr Mace, the club’s chief operations manager, said: “The club fully appreciate the serious of the situation and will be mounting a thorough internal investigation.

“This will run in tandem with the Spanish authorities and as a club we would seek to reassure fans and the general public that we treat this matter with the utmost seriousness.

“We welcomed the news that formal charges against three of the players - Steffen Freund, Nikos Dabizas and Danny Coyne – were dropped on Thursday evening.

“We have spoken to all of our other players in Spain and they will vigorously contest all charges and accusations being made against them.

“All six have stressed their innocence to all of the charges and we have every faith and every confidence in the Spanish judicial system that justice will be seen to be done in this matter.

“From our point of view, we need to get our players back home to England as quickly as possible to prepare for our next game with Birmingham.”

The first team is not playing this weekend due to cup ties and travels to Birmingham next Saturday.

Even if no charges are brought, the Leicester players could face club disciplinary measures over their actions.

But Mr Mace said: “Due to the ongoing investigations by Spanish police, we are not in a position where we can comment publicly on any of the details relating to the incidents that took place in La Manga.”

The club’s chief executive, Tim Davies, who travelled to La Manga, said outside the court last night that the allegations had come as a “tremendous shock” to the players.

Club manager Micky Adams said he was “devastated” by the allegations.

Under the Spanish legal system, the six players have been accused on a number of counts but not yet charged.

It is for the judge to decide whether to proceed with charges.

The accusations centre on an alleged incident earlier this week when three women were said to have been attacked by a group of drunken players.

Staff at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, where the incident is alleged to have taken place, told police that the players had been fighting among themselves and with other customers.

They were said to have barged into a hotel room and attacked the women, leaving them with multiple injuries.

The women, thought to be African, made their allegations at Alicante airport on Tuesday as they were preparing to board a flight to Germany where they live. They were persuaded by police to remain in Spain to assist the inquiry.

Four of the players – Nalis, Dickov, Scowcroft and Sinclair – are being held over allegations of sexual assault and breaking and entering.

Gillespie was questioned over assault and breaking and entering.

Dabizas, Coyne and Elliot were all questioned over accusations of breaking and entering and failing to assist the women, while Freund had been quizzed over failing to offer assistance to the victim of a crime, an offence under the Spanish penal code.

A spokesman for the Cartagena police said the players were detained in relation to a sexual assault reported by three women.

“The report by the women was taken in the Alicante airport, where they were set to travel to Germany,” he said.

“They indicated that the men detained got into their room in the hotel Los Belones (at Cartagena), and they were sexually abused by some of them.

“The three women gave the police a bracelet which was apparently broken by one of the aggressors as well as torn underpants with blood.”

The spokesman said the women had several injuries, according to a medical report from the general hospital in Alicante, which was later confirmed by a doctor from Cartagena police.

The women were taken to police headquarters in Cartagena where they recognised the accused one by one from photographs and made allegations against each of them, the spokesman added.

The judge is believed to have held individual hearings with the players, followed by separate interviews with the alleged victims.