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Ched Evans not guilty: Footballer cleared of teenage rape charge Ched Evans: Footballer found not guilty and cleared of teenage rape charge
(35 minutes later)
Wales international footballer Ched Evans has been found not guilty of raping a teenager.Wales international footballer Ched Evans has been found not guilty of raping a teenager.
Cardiff Crown Court found Mr Evans, 27, not guilty after a two week retrial.Cardiff Crown Court found Mr Evans, 27, not guilty after a two week retrial.
The Chesterfield striker, who fought a five year battle to clear his name, wept and hugged his partner Natasha Massey following the verdict. The Chesterfield striker, who fought a five year battle to clear his name, wept and hugged his partner Natasha Massey following the verdict. 
Defence counsel Judy Khan QC said Mr Evans answered every single question during his police interviews and detectives would never have known about the sex session had it not been for the footballer's honesty.Defence counsel Judy Khan QC said Mr Evans answered every single question during his police interviews and detectives would never have known about the sex session had it not been for the footballer's honesty.
Mr Evans was accused of raping a 19-year-old woman at a Premier Inn near Rhyl in north Whales, in the early hours of 30 May, 2011. Mr Evans was originally convicted of raping a 19-year-old woman at a Premier Inn near Rhyl in north Whales, in the early hours of 30 May, 2011.
He walked into the room where fellow footballer Clayton McDonald was having sex with the woman. Mr Evans walked into the room where fellow footballer Clayton McDonald was having sex with the woman.
Mr Evans claimed Mr McDonald asked the woman whether he could join in, to which she replied: "Yes." He claimed Mr McDonald asked the woman whether he could join in, to which she replied: "Yes."
He insisted he had consensual sex with the woman before getting up and leaving via a fire exit door after realising he was cheating on his girlfriend.He insisted he had consensual sex with the woman before getting up and leaving via a fire exit door after realising he was cheating on his girlfriend.
Prosecutors alleged the complainant was too drunk to consent to sex and awoke hours later confused and alone in the room.Prosecutors alleged the complainant was too drunk to consent to sex and awoke hours later confused and alone in the room.
He served half of a five-year prison sentence before being released but there was a public outcry when he attempted to return to professional football.
Mr Evans joined League One club Chesterfield FC after the Court of Appeal quashed his conviction and ordered a retrial earlier this year.
A jury of seven women and five men found Mr Evans not guilty following three hours of deliberations after the eight-day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
Claps could be heard from the public gallery following the acquittal.Claps could be heard from the public gallery following the acquittal.
Ms Justice Nicola Davies told Mr Evans: "Mr Evans you are discharged and you can leave the dock."Ms Justice Nicola Davies told Mr Evans: "Mr Evans you are discharged and you can leave the dock."
It took the jury three hours to reach their not guilty verdict.
After losing his first appeal, Mr Evans' family employed private investigators to gather new evidence about the alleged victim's sex life, a rare move which has been widely condemned.After losing his first appeal, Mr Evans' family employed private investigators to gather new evidence about the alleged victim's sex life, a rare move which has been widely condemned.
They spoke to two men who had sex with the 19-year-old woman in the months before she alleged she had been raped by the footballer in May 2011.They spoke to two men who had sex with the 19-year-old woman in the months before she alleged she had been raped by the footballer in May 2011.
Both gave accounts of the woman's sexual preferences that were similar to the description put forward by Mr Evans at his original trial and supported his assertion that she did consent to sex with him in the hotel room. Both gave accounts of the woman's sexual preferences that were similar to the description put forward by Mr Evans at his original trial and supported his assertion that she did consent to having sex with him.
Normally in trials involving sexual offences, a complainant's sexual history is not put before a jury.Normally in trials involving sexual offences, a complainant's sexual history is not put before a jury.
But Mr Evans legal team sought permission under Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act to question the complainant at his new trial about the statements the two men had made.But Mr Evans legal team sought permission under Section 41 of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act to question the complainant at his new trial about the statements the two men had made.
In a statement read outside Cardiff Crown Court Mr Evans said he was "overwhelmed with relief" following the not guilty verdict.  In a statement read outside Cardiff Crown Court by his solicitor Shaun Draycott, Mr Evans said he was "overwhelmed with relief" following the not guilty verdict. 
"In the early hours of 30th May 2011 an incident occurred in North Wales that was to change my life and the lives of others for ever," Mr Evans said.  "In the early hours of 30th May 2011 an incident occurred in North Wales that was to change my life and the lives of others for ever," Mr Evans' statement said.
"That incident did not involve the commission of a criminal offence and today I am overwhelmed with relief that the Jury agreed."That incident did not involve the commission of a criminal offence and today I am overwhelmed with relief that the Jury agreed.
"I would like to thank my legal team, Judy Khan QC and David Emanuel of Garden Court Chambers, London and Shaun Draycott of Draycott Browne Solicitors, Manchester, for their tireless efforts upon my behalf."I would like to thank my legal team, Judy Khan QC and David Emanuel of Garden Court Chambers, London and Shaun Draycott of Draycott Browne Solicitors, Manchester, for their tireless efforts upon my behalf.
"Thanks go, too, to my friends and family; most notably my fiancée, Natasha, who chose, perhaps incredibly, to support me in my darkest hour."Thanks go, too, to my friends and family; most notably my fiancée, 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.""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."
Mr Evans stood with fiancee Ms Massey and supporters as the statement was read.
Additional reporting by PAAdditional reporting by PA