I want to talk about Ched Evans — after all everyone else is talking about him. Everyone has an opinion about the fate of this moderately talented footballer. I will state immediately that I am on his side. Until this argie-bargie started I had hardly heard of Ched Evans — but then he has been out of the picture as far a football is concerned for more than 2½ years.
Ched Evans has played for a number of clubs as well as the Welsh national team. Before this saga began he was playing with Sheffield United with some success and was being paid by them at the modest rate of £20,000 per week. But then in the small hours of 30th May 2011, an incident occurred which at this moment is showing all the signs of ending his career for good.
The mother of Ched Evans lives in Rhyl and the footballer, staying with her, invited Clayton MacDonald, the Port Vale defender, and others for a Bank Holiday night out in the town. Since space was limited in his mother's house, he booked his long time friend into a nearby Premier Inn. In the early hours of the morning of 30th May, Clayton MacDonald was making his way back to the hotel and near a pizza take-away he met the 19 year old Lauren Crawford — whose name soon became public knowledge when things started to get out of hand — and took her back to the hotel. On the way he sent a text message to Ched Evans stating that he had "got a bird." Ched Evans went to the hotel, let himself into Clayton MacDonald's room and watched his friend and the woman having sex. It was claimed that MacDonald asked if his friend could "get involved", to which the woman said, "Yes!". Subsequently, Chad Evans suggests, the girl asked him to perform oral sex on her. He did so and then they had sexual intercourse. Throughout all the activities with him she was enthusiastic, wide awake and she consented to everything that happened. He left the hotel using the fire exit and the woman went to sleep. There was no evidence of any struggles and the woman was completely uninjured.
Subsequently the woman involved made a complaint that she had been raped and the matter came to court in Carnaervon in 2012.
But let us look a little more closely at the complainant She worked as a waitress in the restaurant of a local hotel. She finished work shortly before midnight on 29th May, drank some alcohol, went home, showered, drank more alcohol and then went to a bar, where she arrived at just after 1.30am. I think we can assume that she did not go there for an evening constitutional, a chocky biscuit and a cup of Horlicks. She drank wine and vodka and left at about 3am. She said that she could not recall leaving the bar. She had a vague recollection of being in a kebab shop and was seen eating pizza from a large box. She was unsteady on her feet and walked unsteadily. Based on this and CCTV evidence,the prosecution case was that she was very drunk.
Neither of the defendants denied having sex with the woman; their defenses were that the woman had consented. Somehow the jury reached a conclusion that Clayton MacDonald had not raped the woman and he was acquitted. But, very oddly,they concluded that Ched Evans had raped her, he was found guilty and sentenced to five years in prison. In the normal way, he served half of his sentence and was released on licence in October 2014. Naturally, the 26 year old wanted to resume his career as a footballer. And then the internet exploded with demands that he should not be allowed to and probably he should never play football again.
His old club, Sheffield United invited him to come to train with them. As a result, the player and the club were bombarded with vitriol at the mere suggestion So Sheffield withdrew their offer. Ched Evans has been looking for another club and it looked as though Oldham Athletic would offer him a job — albeit at a TENTH OF HIS PREVIOUS SALARY. But for the flog him and hang him brigade, even this was not enough. He must never be allowed near a football pitch ever again. This is not just wrong, it is absurd and indefensible. He has served his sentence, even as he protests his innocence and now should be able to continue his career. His area of expertise is football and he should be allowed to undergo complete rehabilitation.
Oldham Athletic have now discontinued discussions with Ched Evans as various sponsors threatened to end their sponsorship and staff, players and their families were subject to abuse and death threats. This is so wrong. Ched Evans cannot go abroad while he is out on licence and he is still fighting to have his conviction overturned. I wish him luck in his endeavours and I hope the police will give some attention to investigating those who lead the campaigns of abuse.
Ched Evans has done nothing that many other young men have done and will continue to do without women complaining of rape at a later date.
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