Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood held after bail denied over attempted rape charge

Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood will spend more than a month in custody after a district judge denied him bail on charges of attempted rape, controlling and coercive behaviour and assault.

The 21-year-old looked at his family from the dock before he was taken down the steps at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

All three charges relate to the same woman.

The player was first held in January over allegations relating to a young woman after images and videos were posted online.

He had been on bail since but was arrested in the Trafford area on Saturday for an alleged breach of conditions.

Members of Greenwood’s family sat in a full public gallery in the small courtroom, along with members of the press.

Wearing a grey hooded Nike jumper and grey jogging bottoms and flanked by two dock officers, the footballer, of Bowdon, spoke only to confirm his name, date of birth and address.

The attempted rape is alleged to have taken place in October 2021.

The controlling and coercive behaviour relates to a period between November 2018 and October this year, where he is alleged to have made threatening and derogatory comments towards the complainant, as well as accessing and monitoring her social media accounts.

The charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm is dated December 2021.

Within hours of the allegations surfacing online at the beginning of the year, the forward – who has made one appearance for England – was suspended from playing or training with the Old Trafford club.

Nike suspended and later terminated its sponsorship deal with Greenwood, while Electronic Arts confirmed his removal from active squads on its Fifa 22 game.

Greenwood will appear before Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court on November 21.

The defendant’s legal team told reporters they would be submitting a further bail application.