To be totally baffled (Ched Evans related)

[soapboxqueen]

Just reading in the guardian that Ched Evans has applied to the Criminal Cases Review Commission to review his case. That's fine because it is part of our due process and legal system.

However, in the article it points out that his girlfriend's father is paying for appeal barristers, private detectives and even offering a reward for information in order to help his appeal. Why would you do that? Why would you put up so much money to protect a person who at best (from their perspective at least) cheated on your daughter in a rather deplorable fashion and at worst a rapist? Why would got want your daughter to be with such a person?

I really don't understand.

I'll see if I can get the link to work.

It's really sad that, wherever there are rapists like Ched Evans, there will always be sycophantic arsewipes willing to excuse it.

His victim made no complaint. She hasn't gone for money. She's not sold her story. She has had to leave her friends and family, leave her town and her country and go into hiding. So what the fuck do these idiots think she's got out of it?

So blinded are they that the mighty footballer and rapist Ched might not be able to be a role model for impressionable pricks all over that they attack his victim. They should be bloody ashamed of themselves.

He was found guilty because he could not have got consent. Only something like 0.5% of rapes end in a conviction. The CPS will not take a rape case forward if they aren't overwhelmingly convinced of a conviction.

Amd sadly, yes, we would be interested in if was a bin man, who had done this to a young woman, goen to jail and was using the press to try and further victimise the woman he raped. So again, Mascara mate, you're way off base. Feminists are interested and invested in all women, not just the victims of your little hero.

I haven't seen any evidence of condemnation of his actions by his fellow soccer players. Clearly a dangerous, amoral breed in general.

Given that SUFC fans were singing 'he's coming home, chedwin's coming home' I think that a large proportion of them couldn't give a shit that he's a rapist, as long as he pushes an air filled pig's bladder over a chalk line sometimes.

I think the reason his family, his girlfriend and her family are standing by him so vocally is because they cannot separate the legal definition of rape from the emotional and commonly-held view of it.

Rape is penetration without consent. She could not consent so he raped her. Legal case closed, he is guilty of rape.

BUT (and I hope I don't get flamed for this) I would have to admit that at the time I wondered at the conviction because until this case I had always thought of rape as being a forceful thing. She didn't say no, she didn't struggle or fight him off, he in no way forced her. I think it's because of this that his supporters think he is not guilty.

This case has certainly opened my eyes to what rape actually can be. At the time I thought "stupid girl, met a footballer in the street - it wasn't even him who paid for her to get so drunk! - and went back to a hotel with him, what on earth did she expect?" I still think her behaviour that night was reckless and dangerous. But I also now understand a lot better that while his mate's actions and intentions were questionable Ched Evans undoubtedly did rape her, and was correctly convicted.

Poor girl, I hope wherever she is she is OK.

Im absolutely disgusted by the behaviour of the family and friends of the CONVICTED rapist Ched Evans. I think that misogyny and the celebrity culture have combined here. He was found guilty and convicted His friends filmed it FFS.

And in the last week ive heard suggestions that he could/should retrain as a plumber. Since this would involve him being alone with women in their homes this idea is ludicrously stupid. Nor do i think he should go back to professional football with all the adulation that would involve.

This is a problem that needs addressing badly. I believe that Peter Nunn who was successfully prosecuted for making rape threats as well as other worrying musings against Caroline Criado Perez and Stella Creasy, owns his own security company which means there is a fair chance that he probably also will be alone with a woman in her home at some point.

Its very worrying.

I think what he did was disgusting, he picked her up on the street knowing she was blind drunk and took advantage of her. She was an easy lay to him and his friend.

The fact the girl has not sold her story and is in hiding says everything to me. Poor girl, I bet she regrets telling the police anything.

I had a look at a Sheffield forum. Whilst most of them seem to think the only relevant issue is can he score goals there were a couple of posters who demolished the "well she was a tart " argument.

Re the girl friend I have to agree with this comment..

"And she must be as thick as he is if she believed him. Someone who had never cheated before starting off with a 3some is a bit like someone who had never climbed a mountain before starting with Mount Everest"

Rebecca, Ched Evans didn't pick her up - she went to the hotel with McDonald, who she knew. Ched Evans took a cab to the hotel, lied to get a second room key, let himself in whilst McDonald was penetrating her and then raped her.

Empireofdirt, I've been involved in football, including some contact with the pro and semi-pro games for twenty-odd years. FWIW, my firm view is that, on most training grounds, a rapist will be largely treated as a pariah. Footballers as a class are very concerned with status and image, and a convicted rapist is likely to be perceived as a sad, sad bastard.

Also FWIW, the image of pro footballers most people have is not accurate in my view. My experience is that (with the exception of very special talents e.g. Rooney) the kids that actually make it do so by being very committed between the ages of around 16 to 21, which includes not going out on the razz and womanising every weekend. Obviously sexism is a problem in football, but the profile of the average pro footballer is determined, reasonably intelligent and sensible working class kid rather than pissed-up shit-for-brains potential rapist.

everything about this case disgusts and repulses me.
what an absolute scumbag he is (and his mates too) and as for the GFs father, ye gods, words fail me!
I feel sorry for her. I can kind of see how she might want the whole romantic fairytale, and the WAG celeb lifestyle, how she might even see herself as his saviour, the one for whom he will change. But we all know this ain't gonna lead to a happy ever after and her parents above all people should be looking out for her and advising her to steer clear of this low life.
I hope his poor victim manages to stay strong and rebuild her life and find happiness with someone decent.

How awful would it be if Evan was/is actually innocent? You cannot tell me the British justice system gets it right every time.

He's most definitely guilty so need to fret.

windchime, from what I can gather the main bit of evidence was Evans' own account of what happened. He took a view that it wasn't rape, presumably on the basis that he hadn't dragged her into a bush with a knife. the jury took a different view of the facts. So the possibility that he didn't do it doesn't come into the equation.

windchime

The evidence, from Evans and his friend is that:

a) he had sex with her
b) he didn't bother to ask her if he could, he asked his friend if he could 'have a go'
c)Evans was on the way to the police station in a taxi when he got a text saying, 'I've got a bird'. He made the taxi turn round and then conned his way in to a locked bedroom
d) during police interviews Evans said he 'could have any girl he wanted'
e) his friend left and asked the hotel staff to keep an eye on her because she was ill
f) Evans snuck out the fire exit

And that is just their testimony.

Evans brother tried to film the attack - how did he know sex was going to happen before Evans met the girl?

Why did they book a hotel room?

Well, it's lucky the case was reviewed first by a single judge, next by a panel of three judges, in deciding whether or not to allow an appeal - the request was declined. But you can take comfort that the case was so carefully reviewed and you don't need to worry about how awful it might be for the rapist Ched Evans.

You could worry about how awful it actually is for the victim, if you want something definite to worry about.

ye gods I cant believe people are coming out with this "possible miscarriage of justice" bullshit - NO WAY is he not guilty.

he was found guilty by his own, and his friends evidence. he did not ask her if she wanted to have sex. He asked his "mate" for "a go" of his bird, while his sleazy mates tried to film it.

It was rape, and premeditated at that.
In what world is it normal for a bloke, on hearing a friend has pulled, to turn up and expect to join in, with a woman he has never met and who has not consented to this.

I saw an awful meme yesterday - a photo of the disgusting rapist Ched Evans with the words "Chedwyns back - to rape your Defence"

If he returns to SUFC it will be a travesty.

I wish just ONE other SUFC player would have the balls and the integrity to say "No. If he comes back, I won't play." Just one. One footballer to stand up and say this is WRONG.

ONE footballer across the board even, across the divisions, the conferences and the teams. One man willing to stand up and be counted. To show us that they aren't all the same, to say #IBelieveHer

Don't fret windchime, he's guilty, so your poor heart won't have to miss that beat.

You do understand that 0.5% of rapes committed result in conviction, don't you? On those odds, you'd have be to more unlucky than Jonah, Southgate and Pearce rolled into one to be wrongfully convicted of rape.

I agree, if he walks back into a well paid job, in the public eye, where he is hero worshipped and young lads aspire to be like him, what a sad sad state our society is in. It is so wrong on all levels and sends a shite message to all victims of rape - you don't matter.
Just when we think we have come so far with all these historical cases being brought to justice, this happens.

I think that is what will happen

I think he will get welcomed back with open arms by the club and run out to frantic adulation from the supporters.

I can't see it going any other way.

Sadly Seven, I think you're probably right. What a completely fucked up world we live in.