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Ched Evans raped drunk teenager in hotel room, jury at retrial told Ched Evans raped drunk teenager in hotel room, jury at retrial told
(35 minutes later)
The footballer Ched Evans raped a “heavily intoxicated” waitress in a budget hotel room after a friend called him to say “I’ve got a girl”, a jury has been told.The footballer Ched Evans raped a “heavily intoxicated” waitress in a budget hotel room after a friend called him to say “I’ve got a girl”, a jury has been told.
Evans, who has played for Manchester City, Sheffield United and Norwich, followed his friend and the 19-year-old to the hotel, it is claimed. He raped her before leaving via a fire exit, Cardiff crown court heard on Tuesday.Evans, who has played for Manchester City, Sheffield United and Norwich, followed his friend and the 19-year-old to the hotel, it is claimed. He raped her before leaving via a fire exit, Cardiff crown court heard on Tuesday.
The prosecution alleges the woman, who believes her drinks were spiked, woke up the next morning in pain and bruised and did not know that she had been in the same room as Evans. The prosecution alleges the woman, who believes her drinks were spiked, woke up the next morning in pain and bruised, and unaware she had even been in the same room as Evans.
Jurors were told that Evans and his friend, Clayton McDonald, have already stood trial. Evans was convicted and McDonald was found not guilty. Evans successfully appealed against his conviction and is being re-tried. He denies rape. Jurors were told that Evans and his friend, Clayton McDonald, have already stood trial. Evans was convicted and McDonald was found not guilty. Evans successfully appealed against his conviction and is being retried. He denies rape.
Simon Medland QC, prosecuting, said Evans, who was living in Rhyl, north Wales, at the time of the alleged rape, was a local celebrity. “He was a handsome and fit professional footballer, and as such a wealthy young man,” he said.Simon Medland QC, prosecuting, said Evans, who was living in Rhyl, north Wales, at the time of the alleged rape, was a local celebrity. “He was a handsome and fit professional footballer, and as such a wealthy young man,” he said.
Medland said the alleged victim met friends in the early hours of Monday 30 May 2011 at a bar called Zu in Rhyl where she had “several drinks” but not as many as normal. Medland said the alleged victim met friends in the early hours of Monday 30 May 2011 at a bar called Zu in Rhyl, where she had “several drinks” but not as many as normal.
Medland said: “When she looked back on all this, she was much more drunk than she would expect to have been. You will see footage from CCTV of her trying to walk. She is seen to be very unsteady on her feet. One explanation which she gives for this is a feeling – and it can’t ever be more than that – that her drink may have been ‘spiked’.”Medland said: “When she looked back on all this, she was much more drunk than she would expect to have been. You will see footage from CCTV of her trying to walk. She is seen to be very unsteady on her feet. One explanation which she gives for this is a feeling – and it can’t ever be more than that – that her drink may have been ‘spiked’.”
Medland said there was no evidence that Evans or anyone else did spike her drinks, but added: “Whatever the reason for it, we suggest to you that [the woman] was really heavily intoxicated.”Medland said there was no evidence that Evans or anyone else did spike her drinks, but added: “Whatever the reason for it, we suggest to you that [the woman] was really heavily intoxicated.”
Evans, then 22, was also in the bar with McDonald. Medland said: “They’d been drinking in the bar and socialising with a number of girls. Of course there is nothing remotely unusual about this, or sinister in itself.Evans, then 22, was also in the bar with McDonald. Medland said: “They’d been drinking in the bar and socialising with a number of girls. Of course there is nothing remotely unusual about this, or sinister in itself.
“Both Clayton McDonald and Ched Evans were young men out on the town. Ched Evans was quite a local celebrity. He was a handsome and fit professional footballer, and as such a wealthy young man.”“Both Clayton McDonald and Ched Evans were young men out on the town. Ched Evans was quite a local celebrity. He was a handsome and fit professional footballer, and as such a wealthy young man.”
Evans was living in Rhyl but had paid for a room at a Premier Inn. Shortly before 4am, McDonald and the alleged victim were in a taxi heading towards the hotel.Evans was living in Rhyl but had paid for a room at a Premier Inn. Shortly before 4am, McDonald and the alleged victim were in a taxi heading towards the hotel.
Medland said: “He [McDonald] had managed to hook the intoxicated, stumbling [complainant]. The taxi driver formed the view that she was ‘drunk, very docile and not with it’.”Medland said: “He [McDonald] had managed to hook the intoxicated, stumbling [complainant]. The taxi driver formed the view that she was ‘drunk, very docile and not with it’.”
During the taxi ride, Medland claimed, McDonald said something the jury might feel was significant. He said: “He was speaking on the phone, we suggest, to this defendant. He said: ‘I’ve got a girl.’ At least he said something like that, but the taxi driver can’t quite bring to mind what it was – some sort of slang meaning ‘girl’.”During the taxi ride, Medland claimed, McDonald said something the jury might feel was significant. He said: “He was speaking on the phone, we suggest, to this defendant. He said: ‘I’ve got a girl.’ At least he said something like that, but the taxi driver can’t quite bring to mind what it was – some sort of slang meaning ‘girl’.”
Medland asked: “Did she know that she’d been ‘got’ by that stage? Was she in a frame of mind to know? Why was McDonald telling Ched Evans that anyway?”Medland asked: “Did she know that she’d been ‘got’ by that stage? Was she in a frame of mind to know? Why was McDonald telling Ched Evans that anyway?”
At about 4am the taxi arrived at the hotel. A receptionist said the woman seemed very drunk and “out of it” and was stumbling around with a vacant expression on her face.At about 4am the taxi arrived at the hotel. A receptionist said the woman seemed very drunk and “out of it” and was stumbling around with a vacant expression on her face.
She and McDonald went together to room 14. About 15 minutes later, Evans arrived in a taxi and also went to that room. The hotel receptionist said he heard people having sex in the room.She and McDonald went together to room 14. About 15 minutes later, Evans arrived in a taxi and also went to that room. The hotel receptionist said he heard people having sex in the room.
McDonald left the hotel in a taxi, the court heard, while Evans departed by the fire exit door. The next morning, the alleged victim woke up in the hotel room.McDonald left the hotel in a taxi, the court heard, while Evans departed by the fire exit door. The next morning, the alleged victim woke up in the hotel room.
Medland said: “She felt some pain in her private parts which she will describe to you and undoubtedly has some minor visible injuries. She remembers practically nothing of the events of that night and can only piece together some fragments of it. She remains convinced that her drink must have been spiked by someone.” Medland said: “She felt some pain in her private parts, which she will describe to you, and undoubtedly has some minor visible injuries. She remembers practically nothing of the events of that night and can only piece together some fragments of it. She remains convinced that her drink must have been spiked by someone.”
Medland said Evans had not been in the taxi with the complainant, and she had not gone into the hotel room with him.Medland said Evans had not been in the taxi with the complainant, and she had not gone into the hotel room with him.
He said: “There is no room for concluding that [the woman] could have consented to sex with this defendant. We submit that the evidence will show that the only connection between Ched Evans and [her] was once he was in the hotel room with the ‘girl’ which McDonald had ‘got’.He said: “There is no room for concluding that [the woman] could have consented to sex with this defendant. We submit that the evidence will show that the only connection between Ched Evans and [her] was once he was in the hotel room with the ‘girl’ which McDonald had ‘got’.
“We submit that she was that intoxicated – for whatever reason – that she didn’t really know what on earth was happening and that what the facts of this case show is that she was raped by this young footballer in that room, not that she had consensual sex with him. It is not a proper description, we suggest, to say that he had sex with [her]; it is more accurate perhaps to say to that he ‘did’ sex to her. Sex without consent is rape.”“We submit that she was that intoxicated – for whatever reason – that she didn’t really know what on earth was happening and that what the facts of this case show is that she was raped by this young footballer in that room, not that she had consensual sex with him. It is not a proper description, we suggest, to say that he had sex with [her]; it is more accurate perhaps to say to that he ‘did’ sex to her. Sex without consent is rape.”
He said the woman would tell the jury she did not consent, adding: “How could she? There is good reason to conclude, we submit, that she didn’t even know Ched Evans was having sex with her.He said the woman would tell the jury she did not consent, adding: “How could she? There is good reason to conclude, we submit, that she didn’t even know Ched Evans was having sex with her.
“She had to piece together some fairly fragmentary memories of events later the next morning ... long after this defendant had slipped away into the night through the fire escape door.”“She had to piece together some fairly fragmentary memories of events later the next morning ... long after this defendant had slipped away into the night through the fire escape door.”
The jury was warned by the judge, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, not to research the case on the internet or using social media.The jury was warned by the judge, Mrs Justice Nicola Davies, not to research the case on the internet or using social media.
Medland added: “There has been considerable media coverage of this charge and previous proceedings in this case. Much of the comment is not well-informed, some of it is has been malicious; deliberately slanted against one side in the case or the other.Medland added: “There has been considerable media coverage of this charge and previous proceedings in this case. Much of the comment is not well-informed, some of it is has been malicious; deliberately slanted against one side in the case or the other.
“So please put aside any preconceptions about rape, rapists and rape victims and ignore any media commentary or the views of anyone else and concentrate on a cool, calm and objective assessment of the evidence in this trial.”“So please put aside any preconceptions about rape, rapists and rape victims and ignore any media commentary or the views of anyone else and concentrate on a cool, calm and objective assessment of the evidence in this trial.”
The trial continues.ends The trial continues.