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Ched Evans rape trial: Woman 'could not remember anything' | Ched Evans rape trial: Woman 'could not remember anything' |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A woman allegedly raped by footballer Ched Evans said she woke up naked in a hotel room alone and could not remember how she had got there, a court heard. | A woman allegedly raped by footballer Ched Evans said she woke up naked in a hotel room alone and could not remember how she had got there, a court heard. |
The Chesterfield striker denies having sex with the 19-year-old at a Denbighshire hotel, while she was too drunk to consent, in May 2011. | |
Mr Evans, 27, was found guilty of rape at Caernarfon Crown Court in 2012, but his conviction was quashed in April. | |
The woman told the Cardiff Crown Court retrial she "did not take the lead". | |
After taking the stand on Wednesday, the woman was cross-examined by Mr Evans' barrister, Judy Khan QC, about the sexual activity. | |
Miss Khan QC suggested she had taken charge with Mr Evans after he "joined in" in consensual sex she was having with his fellow footballer and friend Clayton McDonald. | |
"I'm suggesting you were taking the lead on that," she said. "Is that something you recall at all?" | |
"No," the alleged victim replied. | |
The barrister also suggested the woman had asked Mr Evans to perform a sex act on her. | |
"I'm suggesting you were disinhibited. You lost your inhibitions because you had been drinking," the QC said. | |
"I don't know," the complainant replied. | |
The alleged victim was also questioned about two men she had sexual relationships with around the time of the alleged rape. | |
She denied "directing" the consensual sex and "taking the lead" with these men, as suggested by the defence. | |
Prosecution barrister, Simon Medland QC, asked the alleged victim: "It's been suggested you were happy for Ched Evans to join in and that you took the lead. Is that right?" | |
"No," she replied. | |
The jury earlier heard the alleged victim could "not remember anything" after leaving Zu Bar in Rhyl on 30 May 2011, aside from holding a pizza at one point. | |
In police interviews, she said she woke up the next day, naked at the Premier Inn, in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, before it later emerged she had had sex with Mr Evans. | |
In court, she was shown DVD footage of her leaving the bar, walking through central Rhyl and then travelling by taxi to the hotel with Mr McDonald. | |
Cross-examining the woman, defence counsel, Miss Khan QC, pointed out she had sent a text message to a friend during the time she claimed she had a "memory blackout". | |
"Having seen that footage you know that, at times when you say you have no memories, just a complete absence of consciousness, you were moving around," she said. | |
"I'm going to say that on occasions you were clearly making reasonable, rational decisions, yes?" | |
The alleged victim replied: "Yes". | |
Miss Khan added: "A memory blackout does not mean unconscious, not capable of moving, not capable of making decisions. Would you agree with that?" | |
"Yes," the woman replied. | |
The prosecution has previously told the court the alleged victim met fellow footballer Mr McDonald while he and Mr Evans were at Zu Bar. | |
She was seen to be "very drunk", the prosecution said, saying she believed her drink was spiked - although not by Mr Evans or his friends. | She was seen to be "very drunk", the prosecution said, saying she believed her drink was spiked - although not by Mr Evans or his friends. |
The prosecution said she was "stumbling about" when she arrived at the Premier Inn where Mr McDonald was staying. | |
Mr Evans is accused of raping the woman after letting himself into the hotel room where she was having sex with Mr McDonald. | Mr Evans is accused of raping the woman after letting himself into the hotel room where she was having sex with Mr McDonald. |
Mr McDonald, 27, previously of Manchester City and Port Vale clubs but now at non-league Redditch United, was cleared of rape at the original trial. | |
Mr Evans, who claims the sex was consensual, then left the hotel "surreptitiously" via a fire exit, the prosecution has said. | |
The trial continues. | The trial continues. |