Ched Evans

OK. You and UEA have convinced me of the veracity of the two verdicts particularly as you've set out rape law in black and white. So it wasn't all about her capacity. It was also about the way the two guys went about approaching her. It's rather reassuring. I've been in a number of McDonald type situations down the years but would never contemplate what Evans did.

McDonald was approached by her rather than the other way round. That must have gone in his favour despite him having witnessed her fall over at the kebab shop. She gave no indication of changing her mind subsequently.

Evans however appears like a genie out of a bottle giving her no real opportunity to consent. She may have had the capacity if he'd approached her sensibly but he didn't. If he'd knocked on the door he may have been OK. It's not clear whether he knew she was the 'woman from the kebab shop'. He did step over her prone body there.

I have no idea why you still think her wetting the bed's important though. After the event and irrelevant surely.

Should the police have brought the complaint? Well I can see the wider social import of showing young blokes they can't act with impunity. Did she want to see the case brought though? After all three had been interviewed would she even have been asked? I bet she'd say she wished it had never been brought if she was asked now though. So, on balance, I don't think it should have been.

None of the above has changed my view one iota on him getting his job back. Let him play football again if a club wants him without another social media circus and mob rule.

 

But if she was so drunk as not to be capable of consenting, then all the time (30 mins???) spent with McDonald should actually count AGAINST him, as he surely could not have failed to realise her state of inebriation (as the judge said about Evans in his sentencing report).

 

I still can't believe that an experienced senior judge could reach such a conclusion and how the sentence was allowed to stand is beyond me?

 

True. It doesn't make sense if McDonald's innocent. Jeez.

 

The judge doesn't reach a conclusion. The jury do. But what he said at sentencing is at odds with the jury's two verdicts. They must have thought that she was capable of giving consent but Evans hadn't asked properly.

 

Seeing they hung a monkey for being a French spy, wouldn't like to be in his position when faced with the locals! They may be desperate, but hope not that desperate to employ him.

 

The bloke's done his time. If it happens then I hope the twitterati leave him alone to get on and rebuild his career in the lower leagues. But knowing their penchant for braying and incapability of minding their own damn business it's doubtful. Besides, the monkey's guilt was absolutely without question ...

 

What will Jeff Stelling think :redface:

 

Good point. I suspect he'll try and avoid the issue as much as possible if it happens. Certainly no James Brown type celebrations ...

 

It kind of puts Jeff in an awkward spot, as people will be expecting him to give his opinion :doh:

 

Hopefully they sign him up.

 

Looks like they won't be signing him after all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30568783

There are some crimes you just can't come back from, even if you have done your time. Society just wont accept it. Rape, Paedophilia and first degree murder are probably too severe to be forgiven. I think common sense has prevailed and he has just got to accept it, he's finished in Britain as a professional footballer.

 

Can't think of many other countries that would welcome him especially as their people won't be aware of the stitch up.

 

B.llocks. 'Society' needs to grow up then. Murderers have been employed again in high profile jobs. Leslie Grantham? I am sick to death of social media busybodies, celebs and MPs sticking their oar in where it isn't wanted, denying this guy a second chance and in the latter two cases, being no more qualified to comment than anyone else anyway. And yeah, there are degrees of rape. And this one was in the lower league category. The guy has satisfied the law of the land. We don't need a second verdict. Not everyone's lilly-white. Just back off and all get on with your day jobs. Besides which, how do you know that 'society' wouldn't accept it? All you know is that some twitterati and celebs with ideas above their effing station have sounded their big mouths off.

If he 'can't come back' what should he do then?

 

Would or wouldn't welcome him?

 

I don't think signing a rapist will win any club many fans in any other country, despite the fact this case wouldn't count as rape in almost all of them

Anyone who did sign him would have to make clear how perverse the British justice system is.

 

To be fair he was innocent until proven guilty, so no matter what he must have deserved jail time to some extent. I'm sure the level of certainty played a role in the judgement as he only had a short stint in prison.

 

Murdoch's machine has the strongest opinions and the loudest voice ... yet jurors are supposed to ignore that as they switch on their TV's and open their newspapers.

More than ever trial by jury can no longer be relied on.

 

Carlos. He's done that bit!

 

It's not the justice system that's perverse. It's the aftermath delivered by puerile Brits. What is it about their sanctimonious judgementalism that makes my flesh creep? I know! It's their sanctimonious judgementalism!

I doubt this would be anything like the same issue in virtually any other country given the exact nature of the offence.

 

I have to say I think this whole thing is a bit of a witch hunt.

The bloke has done his time in prison. What is the point in prison if when you are released you are still treated like a criminal?

Don't get me wrong, assuming that he did what he did it is disgusting, but he has served his time and paid his price. Why is he not allowed to play football yet that Luke McCormack who ploughed into that car and killed those two kids can? Or Lee Hughes? Those two killed people and yet McCormack is now Plymouth captain!

Double standards.

 

He is allowed to play football. But no one wants to employ him.

 

Everyone I know who has bothered to look into the case thinks that it's dodgy. It seems to me that she has been ok with it and then turned around and said that it's rape. It just seems scary to me, the way that rape cases are going these days. I'm not for victim blaming either, but feminism is going too far.

I'm sceptical about him being guilty, and even if he is he's served his time. There's other criminals who have come back to play football e.g. Deeney. Different crimes, yes. But my personal opinion of prison is that it should be for rehabilitation. Marlon King is obviously not worth the time, but a first time offender should be given a chance IMO.

Personally don't agree with the way that the media and anyone with influence has forced him to be unemployable. Clubs want to hire him, they are just scared of the political witch hunt from people who think they're important.

 

Only because f.ckwits keep making a fuss ...

 

Not perverse?? Fck off, they're bigger media sheep than Joe Public.
Rupert Murdoch has no law degree yet he's the most powerful judge in the country (and an effing crook with it). How the hell is that not perverse!?!?!

 

They would if they didn't become media pariahs. Sheffield United were practically badgered out of it by hand-wringing irrelevants like Jessica Ennis.

It seems like you can kill children and families by drink driving and that is A OK, but not a somewhat dubious rape conviction. Last time I checked, Jessica Ennis wasn't a judge, nor was Hartlepoole's MP or any of these other people who seem to be carrying out their little witch hunt.

You can't condemn one horrible crime and condone another. If every other footballer can continue their career after prison then so should Ched Evans, end of story.

 

The verdict wasn't perverse. For a long time I was convinced it was but see miked2006 #417 and my #421. The jury said OK, if you meet in a kebab shop and she asks to go in a taxi with you to your hotel that sounds like a green light even if she's pretty pissed. If you turn up unannounced after a tip off, sneak into the room and have your two mates outside the window waiting to film events with a mobile then that doesn't sound like a reasonable approach. It sounds like you'd decided in advance what was going to happen and didn't give her a fair chance to say yes or no irrespective of exactly what went on in the room. I find that reassuring.

How is that conclusion influenced by Rupert Murdoch's opinion? What's it got to do with Evans getting his job back?

 

Could be off to Malta by the sound of it

 

We need a view from Malteser concerning these Hibees. Some apparently think it's the mighty Hibees of Easter Road, Edinburgh. About 500 metres away. Noisy effing demonstrations outside my window all night long ...

 

I would imagine he has to meet with his probation officer on a weekly basis. He could fly back to do that from Malta I suppose, if the authorities were to sanction a special arrangement to allow him to work abroad and trust him to show up as required. If he's been an impeccable attender up until now that might assist him. Or maybe he could attend in Malta if they have a similar probation service. Doubtful though.

It would be unusual anyway. The mob would probably decry it as 'special treatment'. Aspersions have previously been cast on his ability to work abroad until his five years are up. So, if he wants to accept the Hibernians contract we'll see. There are no guarantees he'll be able to go there though.

 

The Ministry of Justice have confirmed he will not be allowed to work abroad:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30662865

 

Thank you. Doesn't surprise me at all. How entirely predictable, unimaginative and draconian of them ...