Manchester United star striker Cristiano Ronaldo’s bid to prevent the publication of police files pertaining to a sexual assault allegation is set to be heard by a Las Vegas court in the coming days.
The Portuguese striker has been accused by Kathryn Mayorga of having raped her in a Las Vegas hotel room 13 years ago, a claim which has been vigorously denied by the Ronaldo.
Ronaldo’s legal advisers are in the midst of resisting an attempt by a newspaper to be given access to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department documents regarding the rape allegation as his team believes that the information, which was obtained by the Football Leaks website, was illegally procured due to attorney-client privilege.
The Mirror report that Mayorga’s lawyers have agreed that the information shouldn’t be published until a court has ruled whether it is an infringement of legal rights with the case being heard on Tuesday.
The New York Times have requested the release of the 400-plus documents in question, with Judge Jennifer A Dorsey to hear both sides of the legal argument on Tuesday, February 7, 2022.
A final hearing has scheduled for a later date to deliver a ruling over whether Ronaldo’s team have been successful as his lawyers had filed a “protective order” back in November to prevent the release of the documents after the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed they were planning to hand over the material.
The files, supposed to have been redacted in parts, are said to include voluntary statements by both the accuser and the accused as well as property records and crime reports.
On his part, Ronaldo had said back in 2018 that the accusation was “against everything that I am and believe in.”
The attempt to prevent the publishing of the police files – having been twice delayed by Covid-19 outbreaks – will be heard by court on Tuesday.
Having reopened their case the previous year, the Las Vegas police confirmed back in 2019 that the Portuguese striker would not have to face criminal prosecution.