Welcome to verified live three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. In the last few minutes, it has been confirmed Mason Greenwood is to leave Manchester United. In a Statement Release by the club, Manchester United said all those involved, including mason, recognise the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United. It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from old trafford, and we will now work with mason to achieve that outcome. Mason greenwood has been subject to an internal investigation which the club says has now concluded. Forward greenwood, 21, had criminal charges against him, including attempted rape and assault, dropped. Earlier this year. In a statement made alongside the clubs, mr greenwood said he was brought up to know that violence or abuse in any relationship is wrong. Todays decision has been part of a collaborative process between Manchester United, he went on to say, my family and me. He said, there will always be a part of me which is united. Lets get more on that Breaking News with from the bbc sport centre, heres olly foster. This is the conclusion of an investigation that was supposed to come back last week, i think. It has finally said Mason Greenwood is now going to leave the club. It finally said Mason Greenwood is now going to leave the club. Going to leave the club. It was ust a week or so fl going to leave the club. It was ust a week or so ago i going to leave the club. It was ust a week or so ago that i going to leave the club. It wasjust a week or so ago that everything l a week or so ago that everything seemed to be pointing towards Mason Greenwood being integrated into the club. But around the start of the Premier League season, there were protests at old trafford from womens Manchester United groups against domestic violence, against that. Any announcement against that was paused and we have had this lengthy statement from Manchester United and Mason Greenwood as well that by mutual agreement, he will leave the club, a club which he has been associated with since the age of seven, his entire football life. Now at the age of 21. You go back 19 months to when he was arrested by Greater Manchester police for attempted rain, controlling and coercive behaviour. And also, assault. Attempted rape. A year later, those charges were dropped, something he had always denied as well, Mason Greenwood. The cps, the criminal Prosecution Service feeling there was no way they could actually proceed with any charges against Mason Greenwood after key witnesses pulled out of the process. And then it was the time that Manchester United took on their own internal investigation, they had left the police to carry on with theirs, but once those charges were dropped, Manchester United had a decision to make. And it is worth picking up on something the chief executive Richard Arnold said in that lengthy statement we have just had a few minutes ago. He says, while i am satisfied that mason did not, the acts he was charged with, mason has accepted he made mistakes, which he takes responsibility for. I am also mindful of the challenge mindful mason would face rebuilding his career and raising a baby together with his partner in the harsh spotlight of Manchester United. He still has another two years left on his contract. Mason greenwood, a real rising star of the game just a couple of years ago. He has come through the england rage groups and won his first cap for england and england head coach Gareth Southgate said he was a really exciting prospect for the future age groups. This is something that has meant he has not been able to play football for the last 19 months and Manchester United and Mason Greenwood now agreeing, coming to an agreement it would be better off for all parties should he continue his Football Career elsewhere. find all parties should he continue his Football Career elsewhere. And this will be a controversial Football Career elsewhere. And this will be a controversial decision Football Career elsewhere. And this will be a controversial decision in i will be a controversial decision in many ways in terms of the decision from the club. But it comes as a number of fans, female fans had been protesting outside old trafford as the clubs report was being concluded. Including a group of female United Supporters who said they want the club to demonstrate a zero tolerance approach towards violence against women. What is likely to be the reaction from that group of fans to todays news . I am sure they will group of fans to todays news . I am sure they will be group of fans to todays news . I. N sure they will be relieved that Mason Greenwood has left the club, a very difficult situation really for those at the club who had to make this decision with those charges being dropped, they had to make their own decision, what was best for the club. And then you go into the terms of his contract, things that will remain confidential, i am sure, whether he has broken any code of conduct for behaviour of players within the club. Certainly, Manchester United feeling that for the good of all parties, that he will now continue his Football Career away from Manchester United. He is only 21, he has got another good 12, 15 years ahead of him should he find a club and remain injury free. And like i say, an incredibly talented footballer, but he has not been playing the game for the last 18 months. [30 he has not been playing the game for the last 18 months. The last 18 months. Do you think this is the the last 18 months. Do you think This Is The End the last 18 months. Do you think This Is The End of the last 18 months. Do you think This Is The End of his the last 18 months. Do you think| This Is The End of his professional Career Orjust a pause now that This Is The End of his professional career or just a pause now that this statement has come out . Im Career Orjust a pause now that this statement has come out . Career orjust a pause now that this statement has come out . Im sure it is Ust A Statement has come out . Im sure it isiust a pause. Statement has come out . Im sure it isiust a pause. In statement has come out . Im sure it isjust a pause, in the statement has come out . Im sure it isjust a pause, in the same statement has come out . Im sure it isjust a pause, in the same way is just a pause, in the same way Manchester United have wrestled with this, so will other clubs who will contemplate signing Mason Greenwood. He would be a very positive Playing Edition to any squad. Perhaps a move abroad might be preferable rather than one within the Premier League or within the english league. And when you talk about whether he has a future, look into the future, Manchester United have said this isnt the end of the story because they will provide a duty of care into the alleged victim of Mason Greenwood and also greenwood himself to help him get his career back on track. ,. , to help him get his career back on track. ,. , to help him get his career back on track. ,. ,. , ,. , track. Olly foster in our sport centre, thanks track. Olly foster in our sport centre, thanks for track. Olly foster in our sport centre, thanks for bringing i track. Olly foster in our sport i centre, thanks for bringing more information on that breaking story. Mason greenwood has released a statement, lets go through that again. So there is the statement from Mason Greenwood. And that comes as the Breaking News we havejust greenwood. And that comes as the Breaking News we have just had greenwood. And that comes as the Breaking News we havejust had in the last few minutes that Mason Greenwood is going to leave Manchester United. And just a reminder what the club is well said in a statement. They had been looking into an internal investigation they had been conducting into the allegations made against Mason Greenwood. And they say that their process began in february 2023. Now, that is after the criminal charges levelled against mr greenwood were dropped. The statement from the club says, throughout, we have taken into account the wishes, the rights and perspective of the alleged victim, along with the clubs standards and values. And it goes on to say they have collated as much information and context as possible and this has required us to proceed with sensitivity and care to obtain evidence which wasnt necessarily in the public domain, including from those with direct knowledge of the case. This is the crucial bit from the club, they say, based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that mason did not, the offences in respect of what he was originally charged. So that is a crucial line from the statement, as mason publicly acknowledges today he has made mistakes which he is taking responsibility for. So that comes from the club and if youre just joining us, Breaking News that Manchester Uniteds Mason Greenwood is going to leave the club. Live now to David Challen who, in 2019, successfully led a campaign to free his mother, sally, from prison. She had killed davids father, after he subjected her to years of coercive control. David has since become a campaigner against Domestic Abuse. David, very good to have you with us. Lets start by getting your reaction to this news and this statement. Reaction to this news and this statement statement. This is Ust A Combination statement. This is Ust A Combination of statement. This is jUst A Combination of the statement. This isjust a i combination of the decision statement. This isjUst A Combination of the decision that statement. This isjUst A Combination of the decision that has exposed the failure by a Football Club to tackle Sexual Violence and really expose the need for independent authorities or bodies to take on this responsibility. Because this investigation has been happening for six months, it has dragged on, they have been leaking bits part by part, they have lied, they have backtracked, the Protest Group of female fans have been saying. I have been speaking about theseissues saying. I have been speaking about these issues since march since the leagues happened, i am a fan of Manchester United and survivor of abuse, and i have spoken to two survivors of abuse who see the idea of having a man tied to this club walk onto the pitch, with his name on the back to see kids cheering on parents spoke to me about the difficulty of explaining that their children. And that the club have not even consulted Domestic Abuse charities throughout the entire investigation is absolutely abhorrent. It is disgusting and it really exposes the failure of club bosses, of Richard Arnold the senior the bosses, of Richard Arnold the senior the ceo, bosses, of Richard Arnold the senior the ceo, glazers and so far, these amazing charities that do great work, have been hostile and created a void in the conversation for people to make up, gas lighting responses to this audio of which they have just done this audio by saying it is not the full extent of the evidence. What more evidence does anyone really need to listen to that audio and make their own assumptions . He has been cleared of all charges, i think that is really important to say, there is a duty of care to this player to move on with his life. But as the pinnacle of World Football which for many players is Manchester United, it is that horrific sad day. This will be turned over again and again as it should be picked up this is not an issue with one club, it is endemic across all clubs and reviewing the policies of Domestic Abuse and consent training for Sexual Consent is not going ahead is put in place by the Premier League from last season. 0nly by the Premier League from last season. Only half the clubs have reported back saying they are doing it. This is a wider issue. But lets just focus on the absolute mismanagement of Manchester United. My mismanagement of Manchester United. My club. The club of 680 million fans who are watching, taking queues for how to tackle male violence against women, against women and girls, and it isjust a borage really, i warrant. Girls, and it isjust a borage really, iwarrant. I girls, and it isjust a borage really, iwarrant. Girls, and it isjust a borage really, iwarrant. Really, i warrant. I think it is apparent really, i warrant. I think it is apparent that really, i warrant. I think it is apparent that important i really, i warrant. I think it is apparent that important to i really, iwarrant. Ithink it is apparent that important to repeat what you said yourself it is apparent really, apparent. The statement from Manchester United does say based on the evidence they does say based on the evidence they do have, they concluded the material and the video did not provide a full picture and they said mason did not, the offences in respect of what he was originally charged. Do you think there is a way for him back into football, do you think you should be allowed to play again . They have cleared him of the charges and the charges were dropped in a criminal court as well. I charges were dropped in a criminal court as well court as well. I think it is very Important Court as well. I think it is very important to court as well. I think it is very important to put court as well. I think it is very important to put into court as well. I think it is very important to put into context| court as well. I think it is very i important to put into context the barriers for victims of Sexual Violence to pursue an abuser through the court system that has backlogs going on for two years, but abuse is the cross examinations, that is woefully ill equipped to judge these cases. It is a mountain for survivors to make an alleged complaint. And i think it is something that should be expected respected as their own personal decision as well, i also believe in rehabilitation, but that brings in a difficult question of recognising behaviour wilfully employed by a club on the top of The World Stage. I believe there is a lie for him in World Football, he is a generational talent that has been very difficult for this club, he has been at the club since the age of seven. But a generation of talent is going to cost them between 6 million to £8 million to pay him off. It is a financial asset that has been difficult for this club to be dragged through to this Point Of Making A Decision that has been pressured on them by the outcry of a society that doesnt accept male violence against women. So if they have evidence, i think it would have come out by now. That country to what has been put out there, i believe the player would have done it. Ithink it is believe the player would have done it. I think it is really important as a response to the survivors of Domestic Abuse, to provide them a place to live their life. But for this man, it is not playing on The World Stage at old trafford. And really, it brings the club into disrepute for how they have handled this, which is appalling. Ddeid this, which is appalling. David challen, thanks this, which is appalling. David challen, thanks for this, which is appalling. David challen, Thanks Forjoining i this, which is appalling. David challen, Thanks Forjoining us| this, which is appalling. David challen, Thanks Forjoining us and sharing your perspective on the story, which is clearly dividing a lot of opinion. A reminder of our Breaking News this hour. That is that Manchester United says that Mason Greenwood, the player, is to leave the club, following an internal investigation they have spent some months working on. They began the process in february of this year, and that is after charges which were made against Mason Greenwood were dropped earlier in the year. And Mason Greenwood has also released a Statement Today saying that, i want to start by saying that i understand that people willjudge me because of what they have seen and heard on social media. I know people will think the worst. I was brought up to no violence or abuse in any relationship is wrong. I didnt do the things i was accused of. In february, i was acute i was cleared of all the charges, but i fully accept a major mistakes in my relationships and i take my share of responsibility for the situations which led to the Social Media Post in my relationship. The Social Media Post was part of the alleged case against him. He goes on to say, i am enormously grateful to my family and my loved ones for their support. Mason greenwood is now going to be parting ways with Manchester United after they have concluded their investigation. And it is a decision that has been welcomed. But there are many womens groups and supporters of Manchester United who had been protesting, wanting him to leave the club sooner. And the club at the time when they were doing the investigation did say that the welfare of the alleged victim involved in these allegations has been central to the clubs inquiries. And there had been an extensive internal deliberation over these allegations. So a separate investigation that was conducted by Manchester United which has concluded, the club says that they do not find any kind of evidence to show that he committed the offences in respect of what he was originally charged. However, despite that, he is going to part ways with Manchester United. Well, we can now go live to a Sports Lawyer at ips law. He has advised Premier League clubs and high profile sportspeople. Thanks Forjoining Us is the story unfolds. What do you make of the statement from the club . Unfolds. What do you make of the statement from the club . Unfolds. What do you make of the statement from the club . As the story unfolds statement from the club . As the story unfolds. It statement from the club . As the story unfolds. It is statement from the club . As the story unfolds. It is very statement from the club . As the story unfolds. It is very detailed i story unfolds. It is very detailed statement and has taken time consideration following on from what they say is a very thorough investigation to the process. A little surprised it goes on to the level of detail it has about the comments that mr arnold made that they found in his opinion mason had not committed those acts. That goes very deep i guess to show the level of understanding and the investigation that Manchester United have had. find investigation that Manchester United have had. �. , ,. , have had. And where does this leave his professional have had. And where does this leave his professional career . Have had. And where does this leave his professional career . We have had. And where does this leave his professional career . We were i his professional career . We were speaking to someone earlier, our sports presenter, who thinks there is a path ahead for him. But obviously, even though the club and the courts dropped charges against him, it is not straightforward, is it . ,. , him, it is not straightforward, is it . No, it is not. Football players suffer a lot it . No, it is not. Football players suffer a lot of it . No, it is not. Football players suffer a lot of abuse it . No, it is not. Football players suffer a lot of abuse for it . No, it is not. Football players suffer a lot of abuse for a it . No, it is not. Football players| suffer a lot of abuse for a number of Different Reasons and Mason Greenwood has over the past few years been in the headlines for all of the wrong reasons. So no matter where he goes and what he does, he will always have this surrounding him and i suspect will always be subjected to taunting by various different vans. But he is a talented footballer, was a talented footballer. Fans. Youd expect him to resurface at some point quite soon. D0 him to resurface at some point quite soon. Y. , him to resurface at some point quite soon. , ~. ,. , soon. Do you think the club handled this on the right soon. Do you think the club handled this on the right way . Soon. Do you think the club handled this on the right way . There soon. Do you think the club handled this on the right way . There were. This on the right way . There were many women who had been protesting and fans groups as well who were very vocal in their criticism. In this report took from february to come to a conclusion today, did they handle it in the right way . Weill. Come to a conclusion today, did they handle it in the right way . Handle it in the right way . Well, i think ou handle it in the right way . Well, i think you have handle it in the right way . Well, i think you have to handle it in the right way . Well, i think you have to understand i handle it in the right way . Well, i l think you have to understand there are two sides to the investigation. Manchester united probably are damned if they do and damned if they dont. Do they do a quick Analysis Question what they should have been told it should be more in depth. Because it has been in debt and taken some time, it has taken too long. The important thing is to look at the conclusion Manchester United have reached in depth. The reasons behind it as well. They had to carry out a genuine and deep investigation to be sure of the circumstances and facts and they have come to their conclusions which i am sure those groups will be very happy with. I am sure those groups will be very happy with i am sure those groups will be very ha with. ~ ,. Happy with. Ok, thank you very much for oininr happy with. Ok, thank you very much Forjoining UsNurse Lucy Letby the most prolific killer of children in modern british history will spend the rest of her life in prison. Shes been given a whole life order a sentence reserved for perpetrators of the most serious crimes by a judge at Manchester Crown court. Mrjustice goss said letby had engaged in a cruel, calculated and cynical campaign of child murder. Letby refused to appear in the dock, so she was not present for the sentencing, or earlier statements in court by bereaved families. They described the terrible impact of the murders on their lives. Heres what Mrjustice Goss had to say, as he passed sentence. Lucy letby, on each of the seven offences of murder and the seven offences of attempted murder, i sentence you to imprisonment for life. Because the seriousness of your offences is exceptionally high, i direct that the Early Release provisions do not apply. The order of the court, therefore, is a whole life order on each and every offence, and you will spend the rest of your life in prison. So has the government been too slow to change the law to force offenders to attend their sentencing . That was the question put to Prime Minister rishi sunak. I think the first thing is to extend my sympathies to everyone affected by this. I think, like everyone reading about this, it is just shocking and harrowing. I think it is cowardly that people who commit such horrendous crimes do not face their victims and hear first hand the impact that their crimes have had on them and theirfamilies and loved ones. We are looking, and have been, at changing the law to make sure that that happens, and thats something that we will bring forward in due course. Should Hospital Managers be as accountable as doctors and nurses . Well, were setting up an inquiry that will look into everything that happened in this case and its important that that inquiry, first and foremost, gets the answer that families need, ensures that we can learn the lessons from what happened, is conducted transparently, and happens as quickly as possible. So thats the inquiry that well set up and to make sure that we deliver on those objectives. On that inquiry, should we have a judge led statutory inquiry . Well, i think the important thing for the inquiry to do is make sure that families get the answers that they need. That it is possible for us to learn the lessons from what happened. Everything conducted transparently, and to happen as quickly as possible. Those are the objectives that we want for the inquiry and well make sure that its set up to deliver on those aims. And the Leader Of The Opposition labour party, sir keir starmer, has responded to letby� s sentence. Well, my thoughts are with the victims� families and the anger and frustration that i know they feel at the fact that she wont face justice in the way that she should. When i was director of public prosecutions, i saw for myselfjust how important it is for families to see the defendant in the dock being sentenced, its an integral part of the way that we do justice in this country. Now, this isnt the first case, weve had other cases, the 0livia case up in liverpool, and other cases where this has happened. I think that we should change the law. Weve made an open offer to the government, if they come forward with the proposal to change the law, we will support it. I think they reallyjust need now to get on with it, so thatjustice can be seen to be done. Straight to Manchester Crown court. Anna foster is there for us now. A very difficult day for the families of those babies. What else did we hearfrom some of families of those babies. What else did we hear from some of the families as they spoke at the Sentencing Hearing . Families as they spoke at the Sentencing Hearing . Well, each of them were able Sentencing Hearing . Well, each of them were able to Sentencing Hearing . Well, each of them were able to make Sentencing Hearing . Well, each of them were able to make what i Sentencing Hearing . Well, each of them were able to make what is i them were able to make what is called a victim impact statement. So this is a really important part of the whole legal process. If you think about the child that has been going on for almost ten months, the points at which those parents got to actually address the court were during sessions of evidence. So they would be asked questions by the prosecution and the defence and really, they were only able to reply actually in relation to those questions. But what the parents could do today was actually really say everything that they wanted to say. They were able to talk about the extraordinary emotional toll that this talk on them. Because bear in mind, these were parents of already very sick premature children who are going through the ordeal of those babies being treated in the Neonatal Unit at the countess of chester hospital, they were already very sick. Then for those babies to die or in some cases, have events which almost led to their deaths, as we know in some cases, medics were able to revive those babies. But then to find out that a nurse that was so central to their care had murdered them. In fact, some of those victim Impact Statements today reflected on those particular moments. How close the woman who killed their children was to their final moments. The mother of baby c talks about the fact she wears the handprints and footprints of baby c around her neck and knowing lucy letby was the one who took those hand and footprints from the child after her baby died. Another parent talked about lucy letby was the one who bathed and dressed her child. Again, after death, before the child was buried. And all of these memories, memories that should have been precious moments have been tainted by the presence of lucy letby. So really, a lot of that was very difficult to hear. We talked about the impact on surviving siblings, babies who had survived those murder attempts. And on the families as well and the impact it had on marriages, mental health, really the long running ordeal which is hard for any who havent been in that situation to situation to understand, to imagine. We gotjust the smallest insight into that in court this morning before that sentence was passed. And court this morning before that sentence was passed. And theres no real closure sentence was passed. And theres no real closure for sentence was passed. And theres no real closure for many sentence was passed. And theres no real closure for many of sentence was passed. And theres no real closure for many of the real closure for many of the families, who also want answers from the Hospital Trust about how lucy letby was able to work on the ward for many months, even after some of the babies, even after she killed some of those first babies. Thats riuht. In some of those first babies. Thats right. In fact. Some of those first babies. Thats right. In fact, some some of those first babies. Thats right. In fact, some of some of those first babies. Thats right. In fact, some of the some of those first babies. Thats| right. In fact, some of the parents used to those statements in court to raise questions about things we have been talking about. The fact that while being here at Manchester Crown court on the holding cells, lucy letby was not in the dock to hear those sentencing statements. Some of the parents referred to that. Some of them also talked about the fact that they had pushed for answers and they really have serious concerns on they really have serious concerns on the flaws in the way this was dealt with. We know there is a lot of anger and frustration from parents. We heard on friday at the conclusion of this trial from some of lucy letby� s colleagues, in some cases senior members of staff, consultants on the Neonatal Unit where she was working who had raised concerns about lucy letby, about her presence every time one of these events was happening, about the fact that she was always on shift when these babies were dying. They had raised those concerns and those concerns were not only not acted upon but, in some cases, lucy letby was told that she would be protected from these allegations. All of that will of course be looked at now by an independent inquiry that was announced by the uk governmentjust in the hours after the conclusion of this trial on friday and there are many questions that will need to be answered about who knew what and how lucy letby was able to continue offending over that period of a year that was covered by this trial. But of course, the investigation is now widening to her entire nursing career and other situations, other moments where she could potentially have done this to other babies before she was caught and stopped. Anna foster at Manchester Crown court, thank you very much for bringing us the latest from there. Danny shaw is an independent crime and justice commentator, and a former bbc correspondent. It is good to talk to you. Lets start with the sentencing today and the fact that lucy letby couldnt be compelled to appear before the judge. There have been calls for that law to be changed for some time. Now the Prime Minister is saying that they are going to look at that. Why has this taken so long . I think the reason it has taken so long is because it is difficult to draft legislation that is going to be workable. And i think that is the reason that there has been a delay. There has been certainly a recent trend over the past two years of people who have been convicted and found guilty, they have attended the court proceedings, they have waited until the jury has reached court proceedings, they have waited until thejury has reached its verdict and when the jury comes back with a guilty verdict, then they up out of the proceedings, they dont want to face the court and hear those Impact Statements, they dont want to hear the judge giving the sentencing remarks. So i think it is the practicality of it that i think is the problem. Because if you take a case like lucy letby, you cant drag her kicking and screaming into the dock if she wont come because then the hearing becomes all about her, it becomes unedifying, it is not fair on the victims, the relatives of the victims and so on, thatis relatives of the victims and so on, that is really not what the Sentencing Hearing should be about. It shouldnt be about her, it should be about listening to the victims and their loved ones talking about the ordeal that they have suffered. So you then have the option of, what are you going to do if you cannot get her to court, can you impose extra years on a sentence . Well, in her case, you cant impose extra years. You might be able to do that was someone given a short sentence of five or ten years, you could threaten them that if you dont attend court, we will add two or three years to your sentence and that might compel them to come to court. 0ne that might compel them to come to court. One possibility in a case like lucy letby, someone that is given a very long prison term, you could say to them, if you dont come to court for the Sentencing Hearing, then you will lose privileges while you are in prison and your Prison Sentence will be served in more severe or more austere conditions. That is the only other option that i can possibly see. But i think it is the difficulty in drafting a law that will work which is holding the government back. I was just i wasjust reading, sir Robert Buckland suggested that use of live tv link for serious cases. What do you think would be the reception to a suggestion like that, as now, a law change is being discussed . It is Certainl A Law Change is being discussed . It 3 certainly a possibility. The judge certainly a possibility. Thejudge said today that the sentencing remarks, the parents of the victims will be made available to lucy letby, but she cant be compelled to read them. Equally, if you had a recording or a link shown in herself, she cant be compelled to watch or listen to it. That is the reality of it. We dont live in a country where we hold people down on a bed or chair and force them to listen to something or to watch something. That is just not what our country is about. At the end of the