Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

To ask you all to sign petition regarding Oldham and Ched Evans

999 replies

floatyflo · 04/01/2015 18:48

Actually I don't believe I am being unreasonable. But wanted to bring it to attention.

MN seems to be a quiet on this today but I think the fight should still go on. I can't link to it as I am so not tech savvy enough but it is on change.org. (Same person whk set up the Sheffield Weds one so of you sogned that one it is pretty easy to locate).Already has over 9000 signatures so please please please continue to sign and share!

OP posts:
Chunderella · 05/01/2015 14:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

spence82 · 05/01/2015 14:40

For a job in the public eye does that mean anyone has been in jail is not allowed a job like that or only sex offenders?

There are numerous celebs who have been to jail then had a successful career. Personally I think as long as its not a job where sex offenders are not allowed to work then he should be free to take up what ever job he chooses.

But Ive never seen footballers as role models even though I am a big football fan.

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 14:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

spence82 · 05/01/2015 14:46

I'm not saying he's innocent but hasn't it been said that he can't show remorse, apologise or make any further statements while his case is under review?

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 14:51

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 14:54

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PasstheDaimbars · 05/01/2015 15:08

www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/ched-evans-has-served-his-time--and-other-misconceptions-about-the-convicted-rapist-footballer-9957849.html

This is an interesting article, most interesting is that even though the facts have been clearly placed in nice bullet points, including the fact that he was in a cab when McDonald and the woman entered the room there are still saying 'well she went to a hotel with 2 men. . . . ' and all the other victim blaming/shaming crap.

When I was out with OH and friends of friends over the weekend this case came up in conversation and the lack of knowledge about the basic facts like that is shocking. So many people have heard footballer/rape/alcohol and jumped to the standard, 'well she must be doing it for the money/ she went with 2 footballers etc etc.' Automatic assumption that women lie about rape.

Give a few of them credit when the facts as they are (one even proven by Ched the Rapists website, that she was only with McDonald on entering the hotel). That she didn't report rape. That he basically convicted himself with his own words. They did change their tune, but couldn't explain why in such a high publicity case with such an unexpected result, that they had several of the basic facts wrong. Why had they adsorbed footballer/rape/alcohol, but not the rest.

But they also believe that there's no such thing as rape culture

YonicSleighdriver · 05/01/2015 15:11

Well done Mecca Bingo and Verlin.

spence82 · 05/01/2015 15:12

I presume since he thinks he's innocent that's why the website is still up.

YonicSleighdriver · 05/01/2015 15:13

Handy timeline, though doesn't mention the other two requests for an appeal:

www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30671836

YonicSleighdriver · 05/01/2015 15:14

He can think he is innocent without a website, spence.

merrymouse · 05/01/2015 15:15

as soon as anybody raises a question about the conviction they are shouted down with a lot of derision & sneering

That is because the 'questions' are generally ignorant or ill thought out.

Make an intelligent well informed argument and generally you will get support from atleast some people on any subject.

Nobody has yet made a sensible well informed argument for CE's innocence, or why, given his treatment of the victim and lack of remorse, he should be playing professional football.

Twenty6 · 05/01/2015 15:16

I'll play devil's advocate. CE maintains his innocence. For the purpose of the advocacy I'm going to assume that's fact. If someone's been convicted of a crime they didn't commit would it be entirely unsurprising that they might be rather unsympathetic to the person who put them in jail?

Moving away from that question I'm of the opinion that even if he had admitted guilt and apologised many MNers and beyond would still be demanding that he was debarred from playing professionally.

I note you'd want CE to "educate football fans" House. Is that just soccer fans?

merrymouse · 05/01/2015 15:17

Legal arguments are won by evidence and lawyers, not websites.

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 15:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 15:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 15:20

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PasstheDaimbars · 05/01/2015 15:22

The victim didn't 'put him in jail' the legal system did.

She didn't even report him for rape he screwed himself with his own words.Only person he has to blame is himself and his actions

ilovesooty · 05/01/2015 15:23

Web Applications UK have issued a statement indicating that they will continue to sponsor the club regardless of whether it signs Evans. You can reply to it on their twitter account.

Twenty6 · 05/01/2015 15:26

House, I was asking if you were advocating the education about consent with respect to football fans only or whether you feel it's something for fans of other sports too and not just football supporters.

TensionWheelsCoolHeels · 05/01/2015 15:32

CE completed a painting & decorating course while in prison serving the custodial part of his sentence. He's learned another trade while in prison & has that option as well as his g/f's father's business to trying & earn a living. Had he come out of prison with no publicity, no website, no family/partner appearing on TV giving interviews, I'm sure he'd already be gainfully employed and well into the process of reintegrating into society. It seems to me that he's not that keen on 'just' getting a job, any job, but wants more i.e. the money/pedestal/adulation that comes with the career he so arrogantly took for granted before raping a drunk woman he'd never clapped eyes on before entering a hotel room (having conned the receptionist out of a key).

I don't have any problem with him being employed. Just not in a role that has influence & impact on society at large, which already is too dismissive of women & the sexual violence they endure at the hands of the likes of CE.

HouseWhereNobodyLives · 05/01/2015 15:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ilovesooty · 05/01/2015 15:43

Web applications are telling me that "with respect" I've obviously misread their statement. They "maintain that employability where legal is a basic human right".

I've told them that that doesn't have to be in a public role at a football club.

Icimoi · 05/01/2015 15:48

CE continues to protest his innocence. It would be unnatural for someone to apologise for a crime he asserts he didn't commit.

One of the troubling aspects of this is the lack of insight he shows into what happened. The BIG problem with his case is that, on his own evidence, Evans got a text from his friend, Clayton McDonald, to say that he had “got a bird”, neglecting to mention he had “got” her at 3am in the queue for pizza when she was so drunk that she fell over and twisted her ankle. In fact, she had drunk so much that she doesn’t remember how she got to the hotel room where she eventually woke up, her clothes scattered around the floor. Evans says that he got a taxi to the Premier Inn where McDonald had taken the 19 year-old, let himself into the room and “got involved”, while his brother and another friend watched through a window and tried to film it on their phones. He left later that morning via a fire escape. In that sequence of events, based on his own account, he made no effort to think about or find out whether the victim was capable of consenting to anything.

He's had a full trial and two goes at appealing, and each time his guilt has been reaffirmed. He doesn't have any appeal ongoing at the moment, he simply hopes that the CCRC might find more appeal grounds and help him put together another application for leave to appeal. So, if he's prevented from apologising, it is purely because he is clinging on to the very slim hope that the courts will agree with his own perception that he didn't commit a crime.

It is of course his right to do that. But he then has to take the consequences. And, as has been pointed out, he could at least mitigate those consequences by pulling down the website and doing his utmost to stop the victim being hounded. The fact that he has failed to do so speaks volumes and suggests that he doesn't actually have that much belief in the strength of his case.

YonicSleighdriver · 05/01/2015 15:48

Ask them how many convicted rapists they have employed?