05/03/2004

Gillespie remanded in custody following assault allegations

Leicester City and Northern Ireland football star Keith Gillespie has been remanded in custody today after appearing in a Spanish court following an alleged sexual assault on three German women.

Mr Gillespie is being held along with Paul Dickov and Frank Sinclair, following a court appearance on Friday.

Three other players, Matt Elliott, Lilian Nalis and James Scowcroft were released on "provisional liberty" by the court.

Paul Dickov, Frank Sinclair, James Scowcroft and Lilian Nalis had been questioned over alleged sexual aggression and breaking and entering. Matt Elliott and Keith Gillespie were questioned over other allegations.

Two other Leicester players, Danny Coyne and Nikos Dabizas, were provisionally released, while another player, Steffen Freund, has since been released without charge.

The Leicester City squad had been training at the La Manga sports complex where the incident is alleged to have taken place.

The three women complained to police in Alicante that they were sexually assaulted after several men broke into their hotel room.

However, the club's chief operating officer Paul Mace said the players were "strenuously" denying the allegations.

The women gave their evidence on Thursday and were to add to this on Friday.

(MB)

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