HURRY UP HURRY UP

Last updated : 13 October 2002 By Editor

From The Mail:

Taswell Papier, appointed to represent Sir Alex this morning, said he hoped the Director of Public Prosecutions could resolve the matter this weekend, possibly even today.

'Hopefully we will be able to receive an outcome during the course of the day,' he told Sky News.

Papier said Sir Alex was 'obviously perturbed at the result of these allegations' but was continuing his official duties as normal today. This morning he was attending official engagements at the University of Pretoria.

Papier said no travel restrictions had been placed on the 60-year-old Old Trafford boss. South African Police are investigating a complaint from a woman following an alleged incident in a car at about 2am local time on Friday.

Senior Superintendent Mary Martins-Engelbrecht said the complaint was filed at about 10am local time in the Cape Town neighbourhood of Sea Point.

Martins-Engelbrecht said: 'A woman in her late 20s came to the Camps Bay police station saying she was indecently assaulted by what we call a high-profile businessman from Britain.

'The alleged incident occurred on the way from the Waterfront complex to Camps Bay. The docket (file) was referred to Sea Point police for investigation.

'We are currently gathering as much detail and information as possible and seeing how many statements we can get. On Monday, the docket will be taken to the director of public prosecutions to see if anybody can be charged.'

She added: 'We are treating it as an allegation until such time that there is substantial evidence making it more than that.'

Following the submission to the DPP, it will be decided whether to press charges against Sir Alex, who strongly denies any wrongdoing.

Papier said Sir Alex's legal team had made representations to the DPP and would be asking the office to expedite consideration of those representations.