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FA suspends referee after arrest

ESPN staff
February 16, 2013
Dean Mohareb has been accused of leaking private e-mails © Getty Images
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Football League referee Dean Mohareb has been suspended by the Football Association after being arrested for the second time in four months.

Mohareb, regarded as one of the Football League's best referees, will be forced to relinquish his role as the FA's national referee development manager following a criminal investigation regarding "computer hacking and the dissemination of private information".

The 30-year-old was first brought into question after allegations from a former FA employee, Janie Frampton, that Mohareb had hacked and leaked private emails from her account.

Since the claims last October, Mohareb has protested his innocence and remained in his post with the FA, but a statement from the Greater Manchester police has led the governing body to take action.

"On Thursday 7 February 2013, a 30-year-old man answered bail in relation to an offence of computer hacking," the statement read. "He was further arrested on suspicion of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and has been released on bail pending further inquiries.

"He was arrested as part of an investigation into computer hacking and the dissemination of private information. Inquiries are continuing."

The FA has declined to comment on the latest developments.

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