UK Edition
Too easy to cry rape, says cleared footballer Cabral
A former Premier League footballer has said it is "too easy" for women in England to bring rape cases, as he was cleared of all charged against him.
Cabral, an ex-Sunderland footballer whose real name is Adilson Tavares Varela, was cleared of two counts of rape by jurors.
A 22-year-old woman, who cannot be named, claimed the Cape Verde-born midfielder had pinned her down and raped her after they met in a nightclub in January 2015, but Varela, 27, insisted the pair had consensual sex.
Speaking outside court, Varela, who now plays for Swiss team FC Zurich, said: "I think in England more than anywhere it's too easy for a girl to do something like this.
"She lied all about me but she had nothing. I go in the press, I'm accused of rape, but she has nothing, you can see in the courts she lived normally, she go out, she go drink, she go party, go to after-party, life was normal for her.
"I think you need to do something about this because it's too easy for a girl to say someone raped you, that is not sure, but their life keeps going."
The woman was accused of having a liking for and seeking out black footballers after the footage emerged.
Jurors had been shown footage of the woman in bed with two other football players after a night out days before she was due to give evidence.
The complainant admitted knowing a series of players but denied having sex with all but one, with whom she had a longer relationship.
Vaerla was acquitted by jurors at Hull Crown Court after 75 minutes of deliberation.
Judge Jeremy Richardson QC referred to it as a "weak case", although stressed he was not critical of the Crown Prosecution Service as the case required trial by jury