Ex Sunderland footballer to go on trial charged with ‘rape’

Photo: Adilson Cabral, Sunderland/ Picture by: Richard Sellers / EMPICS Sport.
Photo: Adilson Cabral, Sunderland/ Picture by: Richard Sellers / EMPICS Sport.

A former Sunderland footballer will go on trial charged with rape.

Cabral, whose real name is Adilson Tavares Varela, will appear at Newcastle Crown Court after he was arrested on suspicion of two counts of rape.

The 27-year-old Cape Verdean midfielder played alongside convicted sex offender Adam Johnson after signing for the North East club in June 2013.

He now plays for Swiss club FC Zurich after leaving Sunderland “by mutual consent” in February last year.

A Crown Prosecution Service spokesman confirmed his trial would start on April 25.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “We can confirm that Adilson Tavares Varela was arrested on January 25, 2015 and subsequently charged with rape on June 24, 2015.”

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