I don't think you have to be a brain of Britain to think that the Evans conviction is questionable. Unless I have misunderstood, there were only three people present in that hotel room and two of them deny rape. The victim too apparently did not report rape at the police station where she first attended over missing items. Even if the judge / jury believed the lady rather than the men it is difficult to deny that the incident is "questionable". I loathe the way people all decide that they know what went on as if they were there. Rape is one of the hardest crimes to prove in circumstances where the victim was not forcibly abducted. However as often happens the mob adopts a herd mentality and heaven help anyone who tries to stand in its way. What exactly do people want? If Ched Evans were to come out and admit guilt and apologise profusely etc etc would that be enough - I doubt it - the mob wants blood. For those who believe the justice system never gets it wrong they can believe there is no questionability but I am not one of those(and by definition they should accept that the justice system is satisfied now). Ched Evans served a sentence as proscribed by law but the mob demands more retribution. Shall we leave him to be unemployed for the rest of his life so we can all support him on state benefits? Surely there is no job he can do where someone does not have a wife or daughter or sister who would be afraid of his presence. Even a street sweeper is in the public domain. Perhaps he should be confined indoors for the rest of his life as no decent person will ever want to meet him. It is hypocrisy. Role model footballers? - as others have said - do me a favour. Before the days of twitter and cyberspace in general this would not have even been in the public eye. Evans is an unpleasant convicted rapist but the law has dealt with him and further punishment is not required.
I agree with most of what you write Lenny, but I do not question the conviction - just because the evidence is complex does not mean that a jury cannot decide. But I fully agree that he should be allowed to resume his life and career without the mob following him around. But he has done himself no favours with his own campaign which has targetted the victim - his girlfriend and other supporters have been convicted of naming the victim on twitter. Whilst I welcome his apology yesterday and I accept his needs to be careful if he wants to maintain his innocence, he again basically lied to the press - he said that the campaign against the victim was not by his supporters, but it clearly has been including his girlfriend. In addition he maintains a very professional (and expensive) website, that continues to target the victim. If he was trurly contrite, he would shut his website down, call off his supporters, confirm his regret over the events of that night and the further intimidation of the victim and keep a much lower profile, I believe the voice of "the mob" might be silenced and it just become a football matter. Problem now is that all sorts of campaingners are jumping on the bandwagon, he needs to sideline these.
It is because of that that I believe he may be "more" 'innocent' ( perhaps not quite the word) than he is believed to be .... Yes.... any sensible person guilty of a crime seeking to move on would do as you say... surely???? Or is he daft???
I just wonder if the Scottish legal verdict of "Not Proven" would have been the outcome had the offence taken place there? Assuming that such a verdict would apply in such cases? Can anyone shed any light on that?
Like you WY I personally do not question the verdict and am happy to believe that in most cases courts get it right. I just rail against people who say a court verdict is unquestionable. When the crime took place behind closed doors, who knows what really happened - I mean who would have thought that poor Oscar Pistorius was not actually guilty of murder? I suspect Evans only thinks he is innocent because in his book the lady was in a hotel room for sex and he is such an amazing man that it is inconceivable to think any girl would say no to him. However until he drops his case and admits guilt we none of us know the truth - only what the court believe. I have not and will not visit his website but if what you say is true he only compounds the view most of us have of him. Nevertheless it is in my nature to support the underdog and I will usually side with the target of mob oppression. I also cannot see how it helps anybody to prevent him earning a living and making the rest of us support him. I agree with what Dan said earlier though - why would any club risk having him.
The main issue seems to be that he didn't say "sorry"... but like anyone who feels they are innocent you can hardly expect him to say such a thing otherwise his appeal would be pointless.
Yes that is true, but he has expressed some regret about the events that would not limit his claim of innocence. A cynic would ask why it has taken 3 years to express that regret?
I think you would actually get punch ups between home fans because half would think he deserves a second chance and half would think he was scum. No need to mention away fans.
I can remember punch ups over what club a player used to play for.... Kerry Dixon, anyone. And a bloody disgrace it was too.
Kerry Doxon was a bloody disgrace. Typical scummer - cheating, lying pathetic excuse of a man. The old couple who live up the road to me used to have NYE's parties and used to invite MrsW_Y and myself along - one year they introduced us to "this is Kerry Dixon's Mum & Dad" - I had already had a few and simply asked "is that the footballer?" they keenly replied "oh yes" - so I simply asked "is he out of jail yet?" - Mrs W_Y quickly pushed me out of the door. It's funny, we've not been invited to those parties since!
If I am whom you rail against, Leo, then clarification is in order. I have not said that the court's decision is unquestionable, I just find it laughable that despite the attentions of the police, the CPS, a long court process, as soon as a 'guilty' party says they are innocent then that means their conviction is "questionable". It undermines all the processes and 'beyond reasonable doubt' guilt that has been found. If Evans is innocent, great, then he should prove it. Because the case against him has been proved - beyond reasonable doubt. Of course, we'll never know exactly what went on. Of course. But the processes that this case has been through to reach a verdict of guilty in a court of law are rarely wrong. Even if the defendant afterwards says they are not guilty. As for the role-model argument, I would be very surprised if modern footballers were your role-models. But it is naive to assume they are not role-models to young men and young boys who are the most likely to commit the crime of which Evans has been found guilty. Found guilty and shown no contrition. Hence my position with his career.
I don't know if it is the same lawyers but you will notice that his apology is carefully worded so that it does not admit or imply that he is guilty of rape. He is simply sorry for "the effect the events in Rhyl have had on ......" Nothing about his part in it all. We can all be sorry for the fallout from an event without saying we have done anything wrong. The statement is purely an attempt to lessen the impression that he does not care - I am sure it convinces few.
I am a bit surprised at the view that footballers cannot be role models. I never make s big decision without asking myself "what would Roy of the Rovers have done?"
You see that is where you went wrong - with your name you also have no excuse - the one and only role model is Dan Dare
