Footballer rape trial: Ched Evans jailed five years, Clayton McDonald cleared Footballer Ched Evans has been jailed for five years for raping a 19-year-old woman, while another player, Clayton McDonald, has been cleared. Wales and Sheffield United striker Evans, 23, was convicted by a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court. Both he and Port Vale defender Mr McDonald, also 23, had denied rape at a Premier Inn near Rhyl, Denbighshire. The men admitted having sex with the woman on 30 May, 2011 but said it was consensual. Court proceedings were disrupted after Mr McDonald was acquitted, prompting a brief adjournment. During the trial, the jury saw video interviews in which the woman, now 20, said she could not remember what happened and feared her drinks were spiked. She could not remember travelling to the hotel, but woke up in a double bed. "My clothes were scattered around on the floor," she said. "I just didn't know how I got there, if I had gone there with anyone. I was confused and dazed." The court heard that Evans, whose mother lives in Rhyl, had invited Mr McDonald and others for a bank holiday night out in the seaside town on 29 May. Because there was not enough space at Evans' mother's house, he booked Mr McDonald in to the hotel. Defender Clayton McDonald signed for Port Vale last season The court heard that Mr McDonald met the woman and took her back to the hotel room, sending a text to Evans stating he had "got a bird". During Evans' evidence, he told the jury he had gone to the hotel, let himself in to Mr McDonald's room and watched his friend and the woman having sex. It was claimed Mr McDonald asked if his friend could "get involved", to which the woman said yes. The prosecution claimed that while the attack happened, Jack Higgins, an "associate" of the footballers, and Ryan Roberts, Evans' brother, watched through a window. The court heard the defendants had known each other since they were aged 10 and shared accomodation when they played for Manchester City's youth academy. Evans is a striker for Sheffield United. He has scored 35 goals for the Championship club this season and has 13 caps for Wales.
Deserves all he gets (assuming the jury got it right). It's always hard to prove someone guilty in these cases, not least due to the standard of defence lawyers they can call upon. If he's done it, he's a ****ing scumbag, and I hope he gets the **** kicked out of him inside.
How do you prove either way in this case? Its basically his word against hers. If she was so drunk she cant remember, and that means it was not consensual what happens if the bloke was pissed out of his skull as well - was she raping him at the same time? Very dodgy trials like this imo, same as the case against Titus' brother. How the **** do you prove the women did not say yes and was not up for it unless there is signs of physical violence.
And we wonder why woman are reluctant to report rape, any other crime we trust the jury but in rape we hear why maybe it was the woman's fault.
Very true Syd. I'd suggest the evidence was pretty overwhelming for him to be found guilty, the problem is always gonna be that there WILL always be the kinda lass who sees a meal ticket.
The hotel staff testified to say that she was so drunk that she couldn't stand up unaided. Sounds pretty clear cut.
Why the **** would you do it though. Let's be honest, it's not ****ing hard to get sex, and as a footballer, that just takes all the challenge away. Why, if as it appears, would you spike a lass, when there are probably stacks of them lining up? Scum, and ****ing idiotic.
Sorry, silly me, she was so drunk she could not stand up, well she obviously deserves all she got then. If it was your daughter, wife, girlfriend, sister is it still OK to screw her if she gets drunk?
If she was forced to have sex against her will then he deserves to rot in prison; BUT the verdict makes no sense to me. If the case is based on the fact that she was too drunk to consent then it should have been two guilty verdicts or two not guilty verdicts. By acquiting one male it implies that she consented to sex with him but not the second male. It had to be proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Evans raped her. If her story is that she can't remember what happened then she can't dispute the fact that she may have led Evans to believe she did in fact consent.
If she was forced to have sex against her will then he deserves to rot in prison; BUT the verdict makes no sense to me. If the case is based on the fact that she was too drunk to consent then it should have been two guilty verdicts or two not guilty verdicts. By acquiting one male it implies that she consented to sex with him but not the second male. It had to be proved beyond all reasonable doubt that Evans raped her. If her story is that she can't remember what happened then she can't dispute the fact that she may have led Evans to believe she did in fact consent.
the other guy got off because she got in a taxi with him, was talking to him and accompanied him to the hotel room. That sounds like consent to me. Being passed out on a hotel bed hammered and having someone else climb on top of you doesn't sound like consent to me...
Syd, if this comment is aimed at me, then you've inferred the wrong meaning to my post. It was a clear cut guilty verdict and one I agree with
i remember when i was 20 birds were always trying to get me drunk and have their wicked way with me, the unfortunate part was i always woke up as the dream was progressing nicely
