Should The Witnesses Who Withdrew The Allegations Be Prosecuted Now

[Canary42]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-64502021

"The Crown Prosecution Service said the charges were discontinued after key witnesses withdrew their involvement."

Either a criminal prosecution for wasting police time, and/or a private prosecution for damages by the player or the club on his behalf.

Or were they "got at" ?

Even if the lad is innocent the "no smoke without fire" folk will no doubt come out of the woodwork.

[JimF]

Yes, absolutely! Pour décourager les autres.

[Canary42]

It's a difficult one - it must be very harrowing for genuine victims giving evidence and being cross-examined by a basically "hostile" barrister, usually in front of an unsympathetic male judge (even if via video link). So it's no wonder some of them back out.

[Buenchico]

A relevant link, perhaps?
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-11707903

[johnk]

Unless you know the reason for their withdrawal you can't lay blame on either party,

[andy-hughes]

Withdrawing allegations is not a criminal offence, so you can't be prosecuted for it.

Maybe we could expect professional adults to behave better if we didn't refer to them as children.

[barry1010]

I cannot begin to imagine how very stressful it must be to report rape and go through to trial, which could take months.
It must be all-consuming and harrowing having every aspect of your personality, mental health and private life raked over and dragged up in public.
I can understand why so many victims back out.

Making false accusations is a dreadful thing to do and could be as difficult to prove as a claim of rape. If an alleged rapist is found not guilty it is rare for the accuser to be charged with making false allegations.

It all gets very complicated

[bobbinwales]

If you seen or heard the videos/ recordings of him shouting at her and what he was telling her to do I doubt you'd have any sympathy for MG

[bobbinwales]

I can't see how his club can stand by him after so many seen and heard the recordings and heard the way girls shouted at and treated

[Redhelen72]

Depends on too many factors for a decision as we are not aware of the background information

[douglas9401]

Just another day in the life of the rich but dim.

[Canary42]

That link Chris certainly confirms my unease about how the judicial system handles these cases. It's institutionally sexist.

[andy-hughes]

Canary - Prosecutions proceed to court only if they fit the criteria of a 'reasonable prospect of conviction'.

Sexism does not come into it.

[Canary42]

If you say so !

[andy-hughes]

Canary - // If you say so ! //

I don't say so, the CPS says so.