AIBU to be very pleased that Sheffield Utd have recognised that the rapist Ched Evans is toxic

[WeirdCatLady]

Very good news.

Good to see some sense being shown (finally).

The rapist Ched Evans will not be signed by Sheffield United because of the 'toxic' reaction to their (stupid) plan.

So according to Ched's supporters, the victim planned it in advance, was clever enough to give the police enough info that they prosecuted for rape without her ever accusing anyone and then was stupid enough to reveal the plan on a public forum?

Not only that, she was clever enough to foresee that Ched Evans would turn his taxi around and blag his way into the room, even though she had never met him. And yet was stupid enough to then brag about it on twitter.

Is that really what the appeal is based on? I didn't know what they were basing it on.

I actually feel a little bit sorry for Ched's fiancé. How low must her sense of self worth be? Sadly not surprising either, with the rape apologist father she has.

Actually I Giess that his supporters would say she had just planned it with one person and then poor old Ched got caught in the crossfire.

I think there are some CCTV footage of her being able to walk, so they are saying- she could walk ok, so she was not too drunk. Those are on his crock of shit website. It still does not get round the fact that she did not even know Ched until he entered the hotel room, so how do those pictures prove a damn thing about the consent issue? The lawyers seem to be just trying to use anything to destroy the reputation of the victim. Hopefully those assessing the appeal will see through that.

As for his lawyers, if he is instructing them (and paying them) to pursue all avenues, that is what they will do, no matter how slim a chance of success they might feel he as.

The appeal is actually going to be a very important case, not lest because of the notoriety. If Evans is let off, UK law is going to be interpreted as permitting drunken women to be raped without penalty and I hardly think that is going to happen.

I agree completely chelsy.

I don't feel sorry for his fiancee. And what kind of father even if he thought it was consensual would want his daughter involved with somebody who thought it was OK to have sex with somebody he'd never met before and who his friend had just had sex with. It beggars belief. I know what my Dad would have said.

Isn't that exactly why the fiancée deserves some sympathy? I don't know what involvement she's had in the harassment of the victim and obviously any at all is terrible but how messed up a person must you be if your dad is telling you it's OK to be with this man?

I know I must sound hard hearted. But honestly she is 25 years old (I read) and old enough to know right from wrong. The only thing I could say is that she will hopefully look back on it and think I was an idiot to stand by him.

The fiancé Viviennemary? I think she's only 19!

Sorry, I've got that wrong, it's the victim who was 19. You're right she should know right from wrong, but doesn't most of our idea of right and wrong come from what our parents teach us?

I wasn't absolutely sure about her age but thought I had read last week she was 25 now. I agree that our idea of right and wrong comes from our parents. I didn't agree with them at the time but looking back they were right about a lot of things but not everything. I think it will all end in tears. I don't think it could end any other way.

I don't feel at all sorry for Ched's gf. I think it may be a case of her asking her father to finance ched and daddy being unable to say no to his little princess.

I also wondered how long their engagement and relationship will last if he's unable to get signed and she loses her wag status.

I didn't manage to read very much of the chedevans website because despite their best efforts it was rather contradictory. First she's staggering around drunk, then she's walking soberly, then she's drunk and weeing in a doorway then she's composed again. Strikes me that they're trying to shoehorn the tangible evidence to fit the defense. I wouldn't be surprised if the say she wasn't drunk at all and the staggering and slurring (then later vomiting and passing out) were part of her act.

The website also say ched says 'words to the effect of' can I join in. Erm. No. He said 'can I have a go'. That statement seems far more like to be directed to his friend than the girl. He asked for sex like you would ask to borrow a bmx. Just vile.

In what world is "can I join in?" or "can I have a go?" a reasonable thing to say in that circumstance, no matter who it was addressed to? How do they think that makes it OK?

Is that much status to be gained from being the WAG of a 3rd flight footballer? I know a couple through friends and apart from when they're very young and they do have lots more cash than their peers, they seem to lead pretty ordinary family lives to me. He's 26, even if he does get back to football, he's got maybe 6/8 more years and he's not going to earn the kind of money that means he never has to work again.

As a solicitor, Chunderella, what do you think his chances of a successful appeal are?

I think it may be a case of her asking her father to finance ched and daddy being unable to say no to his little princess.

Apparently he has said that its not about Natasha and that even if they broke up tomorrow he would still help Ched because its about doing 'what is right'. Terrifying.

I am slightly worried about his appeal, does anyone know what the timescale is for it? I have been reading and he seems to have shit hot lawyers and there is a lot of talk of 'new evidence' including a witness statement. Now I know this could be nothing and they could just throw it out immediately, but what if there is enough there to bring 'reasonable doubt' into it? Is that even how appeals work? I have zero legal knowledge.

andrew I meant Mr Massey

I hesitate to say this but is there no chance at all of him winning his appeal?

Not that I can see. First it isn't an appeal, he twice asked for leave to appeal, but was turned down. He basically said if Clayton is not guilty then I should be.

The reasoning given to turn it down both times was that the circumstances were not the same, they did not both meet her at the same time, she did not go back to the hotel with them both etc. etc. And the jury were right to consider the two separately.

Now he is apply to the criminal cases review board, they have only sent about 3% of cases back to the court of appeal, out of those only about 1/3 had their conviction quashed.

If it is successful it just means he will have the right to appeal, the appeal court would make the final ruling.

someone asked about the tweets - sorry can't remember name

The Evans site says the victim sent he tweets, the police have not been able to trace them. If they existed and if she sent them they basically said, "when I win I will buy you a car", they look like a reply, so could be to someone saying, "hey got you a lottery ticket, I pas it on later" or anything really.

the cctv footage

What's interesting is that they show only her arriving at the hotel, it is one of those cameras that takes shots so many times in a second, not a movie camera so you may not see a stagger even though someone was.

The court was shown other CCTV of her earlier in the kebab shop where she apparently staggers, falls over and then doesn't notice she has left her handbag behind. That is not on the website.

Now ladies how many of us have left a handbag behind? I've done it once, stone cold sober and realised within minutes. We all know bags get stolen on nights out so we keep them close.

As for his lawyers, if he is instructing them (and paying them) to pursue all avenues, that is what they will do, no matter how slim a chance of success they might feel he as.

I'm not sure if I remember rightly but I think the document sent to the court of appeal said something like, "my client instructs me...." which I am told means, "I know I don't have a hop in hell but my client won't listen and I am duty bound by his instruction"

No I am not involved with this case. I joined twitter when someone on MN brought the bullying to my attention. i am of the mind someone needs to stand up for her, and for all of us.

Unless his lawyers come up with something really extraordinary he has not got a chance in hell.

For example: some years ago there was a case (not a sex offence) where it was established that one of the main prosecution witnesses had changed his name after getting a conviction for perjury, which was of course not known to the jury. The case was referred to the Court of Appeal which found - unsurprisingly - that if the jury had known that they might have taken a different view of his evidence. As he had served a substantial time already there was no re-trial.

That's the sort of thing you have to come up with and I don't think it's going to happen.

sashh I don't understand her to deny that she was very drunk. No excuse for CE, in fact you could regard as making it even worse; just that it's not a fact in dispute.

9 pages from the court of appeal.

www.crimeline.info/uploads/cases/2012ewcacrim2559.pdf

sashh I don't understand her to deny that she was very drunk

What? Sorry I don't understand, did I type something stupid?

Just on twitter, Paul Heatun has also resigned.

Not at all, you discussed what the cctv footage shows. My recollection had been that it was her own evidence that she was drunk; from the transcript I see that that was wrong.

But in truth it's a non-issue. She could be as drunk as a skunk and it's no excuse for CE.

I think the CCTV was provided by the police. She would give witness testimony not provide evidence as she was not on trial.

Message from Paul Heatun

It is with great regret that I announce my resignation as patron of Sheffield United Community Foundation.

I would firstly like to salute the bravery of my fellow Blades and patrons in resigning their positions and in particular Charlie Webster, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Lindsay Graham, in standing up for victims of rape everywhere.

I firmly believe that Ched Evans has the right to rebuild his career in football but rebuilding a career should not involve walking straight out of prison and into the shirt of the club he so badly let down.

I believe he needs to move away and move on, and the club itself needs to lift its reputation out of the gutter.

As a way of showing a lead to others involved in this torrid affair, I will be donating my fee from this month's Sheffield City Hall gig to Sheffield Rape Crisis Centre.

Finally, I would like to thank the Foundation for its continued hard work in the Sheffield community and wish them the very best for the future.