' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 10:09 am
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News UK News Ched Evans
The Mirror understands officials at the Welsh FA are keen to get the striker back in the national team and will be monitoring him closely.
Ched Evans could be set for sensational return to Wales national team after being cleared of rape
Monday 17th October 2016
BY JEREMY ARMSTRONG , PAUL BYRNE , ADAM ASPINALL
Several Premier League clubs are also believed to have been scouting the footballer, who has a £5million price tag
Rowan Griffiths/Daily Mirror
Ched Evans has been cleared of rape
An emotional Ched Evans has been cleared of rape and could now be about to gain a place in the Welsh national side.
The footballer offered a tearful apology to his long-standing fiancee, Natasha Massey.
And The Mirror understands officials at the Welsh FA are keen to get the striker back in the national team and will be monitoring him closely.
A source said: “There is an informal meeting due in the next few days to decide how to proceed with Ched but the top brass rate him highly.
"The next Welsh home game is against Serbia next month and if he can get fit I’m told they are ruling nothing out right now – it would be a sensational return for the lad.
PAChed Evans could be set to return to the Welsh team
“Two struggling Premier league clubs have also been scouting him and with a bargain price tag of about £5million, Chesterfield could be in for a very nice pay day.”
The Welsh FA would not comment.
Standing hand in hand with loyal Natasha Massey on the court steps, the footballer also thanked her for supporting him in his “darkest hour”.
In a statement read out by his solicitor Shaun Draycott, the Welsh international said: “In the early hours of May 30, 2011, an incident occurred in North Wales that was to change my life and the lives of others forever.
“That incident did not involve the commission of a criminal offence and today I am overwhelmed with relief that the jury agreed.”
Evans, 27, thanked his legal team and added: “Thanks go too to my friends and family, most notably my fiancee Natasha, who chose, perhaps incredibly, to support me in my darkest hour.
“Whilst my innocence has now been established, I wish to make it clear that I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone who might have been affected by the events of the night in question.”
It was the end of a five-year nightmare for the couple.
The jury had taken just three hours to unanimously find Evans not guilty of raping a 19-year-old waitress at a Premier Inn near his hometown of Rhyl in May 2011.
CCTV footage of Ched Evans leaving the Premier Inn through the fire doorCCTV footage of Ched Evans leaving the Premier Inn through the fire door
Evans looked composed as the jury of seven women and five men returned their verdict.
He then broke down in tears as he left the dock and hugged Natasha in the public gallery at Cardiff crown court.
Former Sheffield United striker Evans was convicted of rape during his original trial in 2012 and served half of a five-year jail sentence.
He appealed against his conviction and was awarded a retrial after a review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
It came after private investigators unearthed new evidence relating to the victim’s sexual history.
The investigation was led by retired policeman Russ Whitfield, 51, who had previously helped to jail scores of sex offenders.
His team discovered two men who had sex with the complainant in the months before the rape allegation.
Their testimony may have proved pivotal in the case.
Both men gave evidence at the retrial and painted a picture of the girl as “confident sexual partner”.
They said she would take control, changing positions and using many of the same phrases during sex that Evans had described.
Last night rape victim and campaigner Jill Saward, 51, described the case as “absolutely abhorrent”.
She said: “The whole issue of her sexual history and the questions about rough sex are so detrimental because they may stop other people from coming forward.
“It has done so much damage, this is a black day for sexual violence cases.” She claimed there were “no winners” and added: “Look at the evidence in this trial.
“What has come out is that he [Evans] is a total and utter slime ball with no respect for women.”
The trial heard how Evans had arrived at the hotel 15 minutes after friend and fellow footballer Clayton McDonald took the girl there for sex after a night out. McDonald had called him to say: “I’ve got a girl.”
Jurors were told the teenager was “intoxicated” when Evans had sex with her. She later woke up naked and remembered nothing.
Evans, who had left through an emergency exit, maintained his innocence, insisting the girl invited him to “join in” the 4am romp.
His supporters reacted with delight at the not guilty verdict, including Stacey Flounders – the fiancee of paedophile footballer Adam Johnson.
She tweeted: “About time!!! Not guilty Team Ched. I can’t put into words how happy I am for Natasha and Ched.
“They can now carry on as a family knowing his name is cleared.”
Bosses at League One side Chesterfield, where Evans currently plays, also spoke of their delight.
Chief executive Chris Turner said everyone from the side was looking forward to seeing the Welshman back on the field again.
Evans was out injured before the trial started but had scored four goals in eight games this season.
He said: “We are naturally delighted with the outcome, especially for Ched, his family and friends. We can now all move forward and focus on football.”
News UK News Ched Evans
The Mirror understands officials at the Welsh FA are keen to get the striker back in the national team and will be monitoring him closely.
Ched Evans could be set for sensational return to Wales national team after being cleared of rape
Monday 17th October 2016
BY JEREMY ARMSTRONG , PAUL BYRNE , ADAM ASPINALL
Several Premier League clubs are also believed to have been scouting the footballer, who has a £5million price tag
Rowan Griffiths/Daily Mirror
Ched Evans has been cleared of rape
An emotional Ched Evans has been cleared of rape and could now be about to gain a place in the Welsh national side.
The footballer offered a tearful apology to his long-standing fiancee, Natasha Massey.
And The Mirror understands officials at the Welsh FA are keen to get the striker back in the national team and will be monitoring him closely.
A source said: “There is an informal meeting due in the next few days to decide how to proceed with Ched but the top brass rate him highly.
"The next Welsh home game is against Serbia next month and if he can get fit I’m told they are ruling nothing out right now – it would be a sensational return for the lad.
PAChed Evans could be set to return to the Welsh team
“Two struggling Premier league clubs have also been scouting him and with a bargain price tag of about £5million, Chesterfield could be in for a very nice pay day.”
The Welsh FA would not comment.
Standing hand in hand with loyal Natasha Massey on the court steps, the footballer also thanked her for supporting him in his “darkest hour”.
In a statement read out by his solicitor Shaun Draycott, the Welsh international said: “In the early hours of May 30, 2011, an incident occurred in North Wales that was to change my life and the lives of others forever.
“That incident did not involve the commission of a criminal offence and today I am overwhelmed with relief that the jury agreed.”
Evans, 27, thanked his legal team and added: “Thanks go too to my friends and family, most notably my fiancee Natasha, who chose, perhaps incredibly, to support me in my darkest hour.
“Whilst my innocence has now been established, I wish to make it clear that I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone who might have been affected by the events of the night in question.”
It was the end of a five-year nightmare for the couple.
The jury had taken just three hours to unanimously find Evans not guilty of raping a 19-year-old waitress at a Premier Inn near his hometown of Rhyl in May 2011.
CCTV footage of Ched Evans leaving the Premier Inn through the fire doorCCTV footage of Ched Evans leaving the Premier Inn through the fire door
Evans looked composed as the jury of seven women and five men returned their verdict.
He then broke down in tears as he left the dock and hugged Natasha in the public gallery at Cardiff crown court.
Former Sheffield United striker Evans was convicted of rape during his original trial in 2012 and served half of a five-year jail sentence.
He appealed against his conviction and was awarded a retrial after a review by the Criminal Cases Review Commission.
It came after private investigators unearthed new evidence relating to the victim’s sexual history.
The investigation was led by retired policeman Russ Whitfield, 51, who had previously helped to jail scores of sex offenders.
His team discovered two men who had sex with the complainant in the months before the rape allegation.
Their testimony may have proved pivotal in the case.
Both men gave evidence at the retrial and painted a picture of the girl as “confident sexual partner”.
They said she would take control, changing positions and using many of the same phrases during sex that Evans had described.
Last night rape victim and campaigner Jill Saward, 51, described the case as “absolutely abhorrent”.
She said: “The whole issue of her sexual history and the questions about rough sex are so detrimental because they may stop other people from coming forward.
“It has done so much damage, this is a black day for sexual violence cases.” She claimed there were “no winners” and added: “Look at the evidence in this trial.
“What has come out is that he [Evans] is a total and utter slime ball with no respect for women.”
The trial heard how Evans had arrived at the hotel 15 minutes after friend and fellow footballer Clayton McDonald took the girl there for sex after a night out. McDonald had called him to say: “I’ve got a girl.”
Jurors were told the teenager was “intoxicated” when Evans had sex with her. She later woke up naked and remembered nothing.
Evans, who had left through an emergency exit, maintained his innocence, insisting the girl invited him to “join in” the 4am romp.
His supporters reacted with delight at the not guilty verdict, including Stacey Flounders – the fiancee of paedophile footballer Adam Johnson.
She tweeted: “About time!!! Not guilty Team Ched. I can’t put into words how happy I am for Natasha and Ched.
“They can now carry on as a family knowing his name is cleared.”
Bosses at League One side Chesterfield, where Evans currently plays, also spoke of their delight.
Chief executive Chris Turner said everyone from the side was looking forward to seeing the Welshman back on the field again.
Evans was out injured before the trial started but had scored four goals in eight games this season.
He said: “We are naturally delighted with the outcome, especially for Ched, his family and friends. We can now all move forward and focus on football.”
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Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:01 am
I hope so. I hope he gets a big signing he deserves after what he's been through. Hope he becomes a Welsh hero and it goes a long way to making up for being wrongly convicted.
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:34 am
Sorry I can't work out,how he's a bargain at £5 million when he hasn't played any higher than League 1( although not sure about that). As much as I think he's a decent player,it would be a risk for any premier league club to take a gamble on him. Good luck to him though after what he's been through.
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 11:41 am
How the hell is he worth £5 million ? I thought he only signed a one year deal
Whoever signs him are making a statement whatever their position.
I hope its not us
Whoever signs him are making a statement whatever their position.
I hope its not us
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:35 pm
How can he be worth £5million?
If he keeps scoring then he will get the move he wants, but not £5 million.
If he keeps scoring then he will get the move he wants, but not £5 million.
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 12:53 pm
£5 million rated absolute rubbish
Very poor article, He needs to score goals for Chesterfield first, He hasn't scored in his last 4 appearances for them
Massive difference between league 1 & international football, His record in the championship apart from that spell on loan with Norwich is poor. He scored 13 league & cup goals in 2 seasons in the championship for Sheff Utd which hardly justified the £3m fee they paid for him
He may have scored 35 goals before he was wrongly convicted but his record prior to that was nothing to write home about....his full international record of 1 goal in 13 caps is pretty poor for an allegedly top striker as some have been putting it about
No one will be paying £5m for Ched Evans
Very poor article, He needs to score goals for Chesterfield first, He hasn't scored in his last 4 appearances for them
Massive difference between league 1 & international football, His record in the championship apart from that spell on loan with Norwich is poor. He scored 13 league & cup goals in 2 seasons in the championship for Sheff Utd which hardly justified the £3m fee they paid for him
He may have scored 35 goals before he was wrongly convicted but his record prior to that was nothing to write home about....his full international record of 1 goal in 13 caps is pretty poor for an allegedly top striker as some have been putting it about
No one will be paying £5m for Ched Evans
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 1:35 pm
Monitor him closely for what?
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 2:12 pm
you have to believe people change. What he got up to was disgusting but now proved not illegal in criminal law. He has to be a better person from the horrific experience. I would like Cardiff to be a club that gives backgrounds like his a chance. With Lambert on a long contract i'm not sure
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 3:22 pm
No not good enough, plus the good close knit group of players in the Welsh squad might still feel a bit uneasy about him even though he was cleared of rape. I'm a little bit uneasy about the fact that this new evidence came about after he offered £50000 to anybody with evidence that would help him clear his name. I have my hard hat on ready for the backlash. Still think he is a bit of a tosser for what he admitted doing, bearing in mind that he has a lovely girlfriend.
If she was my girlfriend I wouldn't be risking losing her for a romp with some bint in a hotel room.
If she was my girlfriend I wouldn't be risking losing her for a romp with some bint in a hotel room.
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Mon Oct 17, 2016 3:53 pm
avondaleblue wrote:No not good enough, plus the good close knit group of players in the Welsh squad might still feel a bit uneasy about him even though he was cleared of rape. I'm a little bit uneasy about the fact that this new evidence came about after he offered £50000 to anybody with evidence that would help him clear his name. I have my hard hat on ready for the backlash. Still think he is a bit of a tosser for what he admitted doing, bearing in mind that he has a lovely girlfriend.
If she was my girlfriend I wouldn't be risking losing her for a romp with some bint in a hotel room.
Well said my friend!
Re: ' CHED EVANS SET TO RETURN '
Tue Oct 18, 2016 8:05 am
avondaleblue wrote:No not good enough, plus the good close knit group of players in the Welsh squad might still feel a bit uneasy about him even though he was cleared of rape. I'm a little bit uneasy about the fact that this new evidence came about after he offered £50000 to anybody with evidence that would help him clear his name. I have my hard hat on ready for the backlash. Still think he is a bit of a tosser for what he admitted doing, bearing in mind that he has a lovely girlfriend.
If she was my girlfriend I wouldn't be risking losing her for a romp with some bint in a hotel room.
how do you know shes a lovely girlfriend? because of the way she looks?
him being a cheat has nothing to do with him being a footballer really. it happens in all walks of life unfortunately.
if he continues the early season good form he showed at chesterfield i hope he gets a move, and that they get a few quid for it too.