Bryant settles sex assault suit

Kobe Bryant is one of the best-paid US sportsmen

US basketball star Kobe Bryant has reached an out-of-court settlement with a woman who filed a civil lawsuit against him, accusing him of rape.

A criminal case filed by the woman collapsed in September last year when she refused to testify in court.

Details of the deal were not given but Mr Bryant's lawyers said both parties were satisfied with the settlement.

The sexual assault case, brought nearly two years ago, had threatened to wreck the highly-paid sports star's career.

Mr Bryant, who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers, had admitted having sex with the woman while he was staying at a Colorado hotel, but maintained it was consensual.

Refusal to testify

Sexual assault charges against him were dropped last year when his accuser refused to take the stand, following a judge's decision to admit defence evidence relating to her sexual activity at the time of the alleged assault.

The defence had contended that she had sex with another individual after seeing Mr Bryant - but before she went to hospital for a medical exam.

The alleged victim also received death threats after an error by court officials led to the publication of her name on a website.

The civil lawsuit was filed against Mr Bryant three weeks before the criminal case collapsed.

In it, the woman claimed unspecified damages for mental injuries, public scorn and humiliation she had suffered after the encounter.

At the time of the collapse of the criminal case, Mr Bryant issued a statement apologising to the woman for any distress he had caused.

According to the statement, the woman had agreed not to use the apology against him in the civil claim.