Las Vegas judge rules against Cristiano Ronaldo in rape accuser's civil claim

The judge's ruling will allow Kathryn Mayorga to file a civil claim against the footballer for more than £165,000.

In 2010, Kathryn Mayorga had signed a non-disclosure agreement after she accused Cristiano Ronaldo of raping her. Claiming that she was mentally unfit to sign the agreement, she now wants to file a civil lawsuit against the football superstar. The United States-based lawyers of the player tried to block the civil claim. However, at a Las Vegas court, the judge has ruled in favour of the woman. Even though the Juventus player continues to deny the allegations, he may be forced to face his accuser as the judge has ordered a trial date to be set by December.

The 35-year-old woman met Ronaldo at a club in Las Vegas. She claims that they had gone to the football player's room at the Vegas Palms Casino Resort. There, she alleges that the Portugal captain exposed himself to her and proceeded to rape her. He then let her go after apologising to her for the sexual assault. Mayorga claims that she had reported the incident to the police in June 2009.

The following year, Mayorga signed a non-disclosure agreement and accepted a settlement of $375,000 (£290,000). In 2018, however, she breached the agreement to reveal that she had been sexually assaulted by the renowned footballer. Since she spoke up about the alleged incident, the woman claims that she was intimidated into signing the contract and that she was not mentally fit to sign.

As prosecutors announced that a criminal case cannot be filed against Ronaldo due to lack of evidence, Mayorga decided to file a civil claim of more than $210,000 (£165,000) to overturn the non-disclosure agreement.

The Sun revealed details from the papers filed by US District Court of Nevada regarding the case. Ruling in favour of Mayorga, Judge Jennifer Dorsey stated that the woman lacked the mental capacity to sign the agreement at the time. Ronaldo's lawyers had argued that the woman was well enough to sign the contract. Dorsey pointed out that she had taken into consideration the written statements from both a psychiatrist and a therapist who treated the woman after the alleged assault.

The legal teams of both the parties have until November 30 to meet and decide a date for the bench trial. At the trial, Ronaldo might be forced to come face to face with Mayorga if he is called to court to testify.