Hartlepool and the Rapist Ched Evans :(

[WeirdCatLady]

Oh dear. Please no.

Apologies for a DM link

www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2881937/Hartlepool-reveal-want-sign-convicted-rapist-Ched-Evans-despite-national-outcry-return-football.html

Monkey-hanger in exile in London here.

Please, please, NO!!!

This is depressing. Also depressing because a really good male friend was also saying clubs should allow him to play again recently, and I think it boils down to the fact that people don't think of it as 'proper' rape.

This witch hunt type approach is strange? should he just never work again?

Not in football, no. Not in a trade where he is a role model and idolised by young men. Not in a trade where he would be expected to do charity events, visit hospitals, meet young fans, do PAs in nightclubs, bars and other events where alcohol is flowing and his 'job' is revered and emulated by impressionable young men.

He has already been promised a job by his millionaire (soon to be) FIL. He's not going to be destitute. He also received training in Painting and Decorating to C&G level whilst in prison if he really does want to go it alone.

As for a role model for children- while I personally find rape abhorrent I do think that he raises important issues for discussion with young people and if he truly reforms can be used teach a valuable lesson about that, rather than one about the unforgiving nature of society

The only discussion he raises is "Don't rape" and "If you rape you go to prison" He hasn't reformed because he still thinks he didn't rape his victim, thinks the fact she agreed to go back with his mate means that he was entitled to "have a go on her"

Thought he was going to work for his girlfriends father. This rapist shouldnt be allowed to work in a position that makes him a role model.

Another profit warning recently from Tesco
Tesco don't need anymore bad publicity
Hartlepool needs corporate sponsers

Hopefully this potential signing won't go anywhere.

Personally I'm tired of the witch hunt and mob mentality towards Evans. Think enough is enough now, he obviously isn't going to apologise. The legal system has released him and that should be that. The public aren't the judges or the executor? here and people need to stop to think they are!
Also people wanting to email Tesco because they sponsor please!!
However saying that, I'm glad Sheffield utddidn'tresigned him. As he shouldn't have been able to go straight back to the same job at same level.
But signing for a lower league club I don't have an issue with. He isn't going to be on high wages (yes, they will still be good). It isn't of the same stature as being in championship with the same perks.

Other footballers like Malon King (who is a total scumbag with several convictions) and Lee Hughes (killed 2 people whilst drunk driving) have been allowed back into the game without the public outcry.

If he did just work for his fil that would be worse as his millionaire fil will pay him much more I imagine and he could have a quiet little rich life where no one knows him whereas letting him play football in the lower leagues the fans on the terraces would berate him every game he played.

I agree that football should take a harder stand against all its "scumbags"

It's a pity that King and Hughes were allowed back but that's past wishing for. Let's hope that mistake is not repeated by Hartlepool or any other club.

Someone asked if he is he trying to work in a female environment?

He is trying to work in an environment where he is a role model for boys, and adored by young females.

Personally I'm tired of the witch hunt and mob mentality towards Evans

Me too. Permanent witch hunt is in place. He did the crime, served his sentence, he needs to get on with his life. I'll never agree with him being hounded out of every job he's trying to get.

I also hang out on a site that is frequently decried here as unacceptably misogynist. This is from the OP of their Ched thread;

"Evans, for those who don't know was a professional footballer found guilty of rape and sentenced to 5 years in prison. He served 2.5 years and was recently released on licence. ((more background about the case))

"I have been a supporter of the club since the 1960s and along with several family members, continue to support them when in UK. As do my 3 young lads.

"It does not matter to me if Evans is innocent or not. Despite his engagement, he went to a hotel and had sex with a drunken women he did not know in the early hours of the morning while his mates watched. I am sure he is not the first and he will not be the last. The difference in Evans' case is, if he signs to play for SUFC then he will be one of those influential strikers who are idolised by impressionable youngsters, including my 3 lads. How do I explain to them that his off field conduct is unacceptable?

"The football club have painted themselves into a corner over this. Many fans have spoken out in support of Evans' right to carry on playing. No doubt blinded by the fact that the club is not scoring and desperate to get promoted, and Evans is a proven goalscorer. The club allowed themselves to be bullied by the PFA into allowing him to train with them. They should have made clear on his release, that they had no desire to punish him further, but declined to sign someone whose image could only tarnish the reputation of a 'family' club."

There was no good answer on how he could possibly explain the off-field conduct to his sons, and very little support for Evans returning to the game, and much criticism of having him back in high profile employment.

Are posters on ARRSE criticised for their part in a "witch hunt"? (clue "no")

So I reject that stereotype here too.

"He did the crime, served his sentence, he needs to get on with his life."

I am surprised that this is a stance taken to sexual offenders.

I think a sexual offense is a different type of crime where caution for the rest of the criminals life is justified. It is never a case of not understanding that no means no, it is a case of not having a moral fiber in their body and not caring about consent. A molester is a molester, whatever the age of the victim.

It makes me angry that no one thinks those involved in historical offences against children should be allowed back on TV but when it comes to the rape of a women by a footballer it is a witch hunt if we don't want him to play football again. He would be in the position of role model to impressionable people. It's not acceptable. He can have a life, a job that earns a wage, but he forfitted the right to his career when he chose to rape.

Footballers don't just play football on a pitch in front of thousands of spectators. They go into schools and hospitals, attend fetes and community projects, coach youngsters and so on. They would need criminal checks to do this. I assume this man is on the Sex Offenders Register. He would therefore be forbidden to do this work. Nearly every job application for any type of work would be chucked in the bin immediately if SOR were mentioned.

In answer to those who say he's done his time and we should allow him to move on; I don't suppose the young woman he raped can do that. Not only has she been violated, the whole event is known to the public. She sadly has to live with this her whole life.

To me, it's the nature of the crime that rankles. He didn't just nick a tenner from a till (although that wouldn't be too edifying) he assaulted sexually a vulnerable woman. Too serious to put to one side and 'forget' about.

I really don't care how much he earns.

He should not be in a job where he is idolised.

My son is 8 years old. Most of the boys and a few girls collect the match attax cards.

I really don't want him to be opening a pack of these cards to see a rapist.

Meirisa is right though. We cannot harass this man or prevent him from resuming his life/job.

We may wish to, if it were me I don't think I could bear to even look at him, let alone hire him. But the FA can't ban him, no club can refuse him out of hand... there will be a law against it somewhere.

Sickening as it is in some cases, once a sentence has been completed, or in this case commuted, the criminal must be able to get on with their life.

But it would feel good to be able to ban anyone from having any form of high paying job, comfortable life or job with a pleasant public profile - that is human nature. But not law. So, sadly, Mr Evans should be allowed to take up a pro football post.

However, people like Moore should be muzzled, reprimanded, censured, for making any noise that sounds even remotely like excusercising Evans' actions. NOTHING should be done to try to normalise his past. The FA should pronounce on this and make it clear that the law has spoken, Evans is guilty but is being given the opportunity to play, without the FA/club condoning his actions.

BUT it is within the FAs remit to add a playing clause - bringing the game into disrepute - that would allow them to censure any player/official... oh, wait a minute... they do, sort of! If you say nasty things about the FA.....

For me the main issue is that he still refuses to admit that he committed rape. If he doesn't acknowledge that, he is effectively telling impressionable young men that the what he did was legal and acceptable.

It's not good enough for Meirasa to suggest that it's not his fault that his victim is being demonised. It is perfectly clear that his website, and the conduct of his girlfriend, her family and others is, at the very least, approved by him - otherwise why has he not come out and publicly condemned it and dissociated himself from it?

Because he is still awaiting another appeal.... that too is human nature.

He can condemn the hounding of the woman with zero impact on any legal processes.

Indeed many decent people have.

Not him though.

Ok, will get crucified for this I expect but hey ho. I think in some cases that the law does not allow for adequate sentences to reflect the crimes committed. This is one such case. I think in a country which prides itself on freedom of information and speech, it is not only our right, but in some cases our duty to protest when violent, dangerous and un-repentant criminals are let out of prison before any decent thinking person would think it's appropriate.

Massively agree with a previous poster who asked if people would feel the same about the child sex offenders currently serving sentences. Would it be different if he had raped a 6 year old? I suspect so, so why would the age of his victim make his actions any more or less damaging or socially acceptable?

The law currently has a sentencing structure that many do not agree with and if the majority of the public speak out against cases like this, perhaps that will change. What worries me greatly is that this rapist does not view himself as such, has no remorse about his actions, and sees no wrong doing. What message does that send out?

Our prisons are designed to rehabilitate, well, he hasn't been has he?! To me, young people are getting the message that if you are in the public eye then you can get away with committing crimes because you are worth more than your victim, and that your life can go on as before. I do not want my DS growing up with that message. And I will speak out against it whether he is seen by the law as having done his time or not, perhaps if enough people do, then it will make a difference.

.

"Think enough is enough now, he obviously isn't going to apologise."

What? So just let it go?

"As for a role model for children- while I personally find rape abhorrent I do think that he raises important issues for discussion with young people and if he truly reforms can be used teach a valuable lesson about that, rather than one about the unforgiving nature of society"

But he hasn't reformed, and is unlikely to, because he doesn't think he's done anything wrong. If he came out and said to his followers and the impressionable football fans, "look, I didn't realise that what I did was rape, but I now see that it was," then I might have just the teensiest bit of respect for him. Just a tiny bit. But him allowing his own mob supporters to conduct a witch hunt against the victim, effectively saying she was a slapper and gagging for it, is not much sign to me of him teaching a valuable lesson to youngsters.

And with regard to him being allowed to carry on his life/career as before, do we allow other sex offenders to do so? All this "do the crime and serve the time" notion doesn't seem to apply to sex offences in the same way as to other crimes.

If it wasn't such a serious subject, it would almost be laughable that people view him as "being hounded," when actually people are just objecting to the idea that he should be allowed to shimmy back into a high-profile job that glorifies his "I am" status as some sort of babe-magnet and perpetuates the notion that footballers are special and can have sex on whoever they like, whether they want it or not.