A former Everton footballer who was arrested on suspicion of child sex offences has been cleared, police have confirmed. The player ,who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been on bail and has not been able to leave the country since his arrest on July 16, 2021, the Mirror reports.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police told the Mirror: "The 33-year-old man who was arrested in connection with an investigation opened in June 2021 will face no further action. The investigation team and Crown Prosecution Service have been working together and reached the decision that the evidence available at this time does not reach the threshold set out on the Code for Crown Prosecutors.
"Greater Manchester Police is committed to investigating allegations to secure the best possible outcomes for all involved and will continue to work with partner agencies to ensure individuals are supported throughout investigations and beyond." A CPS spokesperson revealed in February that GMP had referred the case to prosecutors more than 18 months after the player was arrested.
After receiving a file of evidence from police, the CPS were to conclude whether or not to prosecute the player, with no timescale provided. The footballer was immediately suspended by Everton football club who confirmed in a statement at the time of the arrest that they 'will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries.'
After his arrest, the player was out on police bail until October 19, 2021. This was extended to January 16, 2022 which was later moved to Wednesday, 19 January.
It was extended for a third time until April 2017. A fresh statement this month revealed a new date extended his bail to July 16 2022 as enquiries continued.
The club also released a statement shortly after his arrest, saying: "Everton can confirm it has suspended a player pending a police investigation. The Club will continue to support the authorities with their inquiries and will not be making any further statement at this time."
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