To be worried about the Ched Evans threads on here

[corkysgran]

Sorry but this does seem like a witchunt to me. Many of the posters (who have signed the petition) obviously have little knowledge of the case. At one point a poster said Sports Direct would withdraw sponsorship if Evans was NOT signed and immediately others were vowing to boycott. Laughable and shows the level of thought before clicking. Online justice and the court of public opinion, not for me. As for expecting football, an industry corrupt from the very top (Sepp Blatter) and inherently sexist, to show any moral stance, get real.

Corkysgran - I doubt you found a definition for 'witchunt' in any dictionary - it is not a word.

This is a very interesting article about some of the misconceptions about this case. As differentname points out, he hasn't served his time - he has only served part of it.

I don't know, uncomfortable about, is that a different jury on a different day could have come out with a totally different verdict, and that some of it rested on luck of the opinions of that particular jury? That some people feel that it cannot be 'proven' that he didn't have reasonable belief?

Nothing can be proven to that degree of certainty. This is what people don't seem to understand or accept. It really isn't like TV where there is a neat ending with everyone feeling sure that they know as a certainty what happened. We never 'know' in that way after pretty much any court case, unless there is film footage of the crime in question (and often not even then).

When human beings, their understanding and emotions are concerned there is always room for some doubt, denial and for interpretation. The criminal standard of proof is beyond reasonable doubt, not beyond all doubt.

And yes, another jury on another day could have decided differently. We could switch to having only trained professionals (judges) decide these cases for more consistency, but no one seems to want that.

If the threats against the staff are true, that's horrific and although I'm massively relieved that the raping little Bastard won't be signed, I want the people making the threats found and prosecuted.

My cynical side does wonder if this is OA's attempt to exit with the moral high ground, though.

The police have said they have received no reports from the Oldham directors or their families about harassment.

Sorry not to have RTFT. I have skimmed it but I just wanted to ask if Evans is really lodging another appeal? He already appealed in 2012, I read the judgement, as I recall it was dismissed along with any further leave to appeal.

My cynical side does wonder if this is OA's attempt to exit with the moral high ground, though.

Mine too sadly, plus, it will make any protest about the rapist being signed elsewhere even more fraught with danger. The only people who I have seen threaten anyone have been the proCE lot, with death and rape threats aplenty.

Alorsmeh, he is attempting to have his case looked at by the CCRC, who may decide to ask for a further appeal to be held, or, far more likely, will tell him that he was bang to rights.

Slug I have looked up cognitive dissidence but can't find it, was it something you learned about on your psychology degree? I was referring to cognitive disonance which is when people ignore the facts because it doesn't suit their view. Your post ignored the facts. If being prosecuted sentenced and going to prison is 'getting away with it' then what is the point of having a justice system at all?

Manchester police are tweeting that they have had no not been made aware of any threats against Oldham directors.

So I'm inclined to think it's the club trying to weasel their way out of it without admitting that the overwhelming public opinion was they had got it badly wrong.

Blistory perfectly put.

Thank you Puffins. What a desperate and misguided move on his part, I would file that under "Wishful Thinking".

Certainly if the board member was so concerned about his daughter's safety that it led to the decision being overturned you would think he would also want to have protected her by involving the police.

Or you could think this decision is in fact all about money and that teawamatu's cynical side is absolutely right.

corkys, if you read slug's post again carefully you will see her explain her thinking behind her use of the phrase 'getting away with it'.

And, once more with feeling, he has served ONLY PART OF HIS SENTENCE.

Funny how a rape threat is serious enough to get them to back away from the deal but being an actual convicted rapist is ok? Can't really get my head around that one? .

Disclaimer for the hard of understanding : I do not find rape threats or rape the least bit amusing.

Corkysgran. Cognitive dissonance, when I studied psychology over 20 years ago a while ago was defined as the mental stress caused by holding two contradictory beliefs at the same time.

e.g.

Rape is bad
Ched Evans, who is admirable, has a conviction for rape

Sufferers of cognitive dissonance try to come up with some form of internal consistency to relieve the distress

e.g.
It wasn't really rape
OR
She was in it for the money
OR
She made a false accusation
OR
The conviction was unsafe
OR
[insert rape myth here]

Funnily enough they don't try to relieve the dissonance by thinking

Ched Evans is not worthy of admiration. Possibly because footballers have a much higher status in our society than women?

Summer couldn't help it, Slug was being a bit patronising dropping in her psychology degree yet was referring to a non existent psychological theory. Ironic that I took the piss and had a typo in my own post after her predictive error. Or is her mistake an accident while mine is down to poor education?

corkys, I think you and slug were both the victim of Muphry's Law.

Totally agree passthedaimbars

Rape threats are abhorrent. And yet (if they are to be believed) it was rape threats that made them drop the deal...

According to Sky News Ched has justifications issues an apology

*just

I'm glad I'm not the only one wondering if the alleged "threats against staff and family" were an attempt to gain the moral high ground by the board. It does rather look like the Manchester police think so, too.

corkysgran what do you think we all should have done, bearing in mind many of our kids and their friends look up to footballers (whether we want them to or not)?

Evans statement

The penny's finally dropped for CE and his family.