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| Ched Evans rape case: nine fined over naming of footballer's victim | Ched Evans rape case: nine fined over naming of footballer's victim |
| (5 months later) | |
| Nine people have been fined after admitting to revealing online the identity of a woman raped by the footballer Ched Evans. | Nine people have been fined after admitting to revealing online the identity of a woman raped by the footballer Ched Evans. |
| The woman's name was circulated on social networking sites, including Twitter and Facebook, after Evans' conviction, at Caernarfon crown court, in April. | The woman's name was circulated on social networking sites, including Twitter and Facebook, after Evans' conviction, at Caernarfon crown court, in April. |
| Some of the defendants also abused the victim online, calling her names including "money-grabbing slut" and "poor little victim". | Some of the defendants also abused the victim online, calling her names including "money-grabbing slut" and "poor little victim". |
| They all claimed they had been unaware that naming her was a criminal offence. The law gives victims and alleged victims of rape and other sexual offences lifelong anonymity. | They all claimed they had been unaware that naming her was a criminal offence. The law gives victims and alleged victims of rape and other sexual offences lifelong anonymity. |
| District Judge Andrew Shaw ordered the defendants to pay the victim compensation of £624 each. The court was told a fine was the maximum penalty the charge could attract. | District Judge Andrew Shaw ordered the defendants to pay the victim compensation of £624 each. The court was told a fine was the maximum penalty the charge could attract. |
| Shaw said rape was one of the only crimes punishable by a maximum sentence of life. He said: "It's a crime against women which subjects them to the most intimate personal violation." | Shaw said rape was one of the only crimes punishable by a maximum sentence of life. He said: "It's a crime against women which subjects them to the most intimate personal violation." |
| Each of the defendants had identified the victim, and others had added abuse. "You did so without proper knowledge of the facts and without any heed of the feelings of the victim," he said. | Each of the defendants had identified the victim, and others had added abuse. "You did so without proper knowledge of the facts and without any heed of the feelings of the victim," he said. |
| Shaw said the defendants, who were relatives or friends of Evans, had posted the comments with "deliberate malice". He added: "Your actions have re-victimised this woman." | Shaw said the defendants, who were relatives or friends of Evans, had posted the comments with "deliberate malice". He added: "Your actions have re-victimised this woman." |
| The defendants appeared at Prestatyn magistrates court charged with publishing material likely to lead members of the public to identify the complainant in a rape case, contrary to the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 1992. | The defendants appeared at Prestatyn magistrates court charged with publishing material likely to lead members of the public to identify the complainant in a rape case, contrary to the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 1992. |
| The defendants from north Wales are: Benjamin Davies, 27, from Rhyl, Michael Ashton, 21, from Llanddulas, Dominic Green, 23, from Rhyl, Craig MacDonald, 26, from Prestatyn, Holly Price, 25, from Prestatyn, and Gemma Thomas, 18, from Rhyl. Paul Devine, 26, Daniel Cardwell, 25, and Shaun Littler, 22, all from Sheffield, also pleaded guilty. | The defendants from north Wales are: Benjamin Davies, 27, from Rhyl, Michael Ashton, 21, from Llanddulas, Dominic Green, 23, from Rhyl, Craig MacDonald, 26, from Prestatyn, Holly Price, 25, from Prestatyn, and Gemma Thomas, 18, from Rhyl. Paul Devine, 26, Daniel Cardwell, 25, and Shaun Littler, 22, all from Sheffield, also pleaded guilty. |
| Evans, a former Sheffield United and Wales striker, was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in a Rhyl hotel room. He admitted having sex with her but the woman told the jury she had no memory of the incident, and the prosecution said she had been too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse. | Evans, a former Sheffield United and Wales striker, was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman in a Rhyl hotel room. He admitted having sex with her but the woman told the jury she had no memory of the incident, and the prosecution said she had been too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse. |
| Evans is due to challenge the conviction at the court of appeal on Tuesday. | Evans is due to challenge the conviction at the court of appeal on Tuesday. |
| Nita Dowell, prosecuting, told the court that after Evans' conviction the case had attracted a huge amount of interest nationally and internationally, with 6,000 hits about it on Twitter alone. | Nita Dowell, prosecuting, told the court that after Evans' conviction the case had attracted a huge amount of interest nationally and internationally, with 6,000 hits about it on Twitter alone. |
| Dowell said the victim had been subjected to abuse, and that north Wales police had received numerous complaints from members of the public and groups such as Rape Crisis. | Dowell said the victim had been subjected to abuse, and that north Wales police had received numerous complaints from members of the public and groups such as Rape Crisis. |
| She said the first defendant to identify the victim had been Price, a biology teacher. The court heard she had retweeted a comment that named the victim, and said: "money-grabbing slut. poor little victim. WTF?" | She said the first defendant to identify the victim had been Price, a biology teacher. The court heard she had retweeted a comment that named the victim, and said: "money-grabbing slut. poor little victim. WTF?" |
| The court heard Price told police she had been an "idiot" and wanted to apologise to the victim. | The court heard Price told police she had been an "idiot" and wanted to apologise to the victim. |
| Green named the victim on his Facebook page. The court was told he accepted his action had been an "act of utter stupidity", and that he had failed to realise the move had been, in essence, a form of publication. | Green named the victim on his Facebook page. The court was told he accepted his action had been an "act of utter stupidity", and that he had failed to realise the move had been, in essence, a form of publication. |
| Devine posted a tweet Dowell said was of "particular concern". It read: "She is to blame for her own downfall. Lets find her address." | Devine posted a tweet Dowell said was of "particular concern". It read: "She is to blame for her own downfall. Lets find her address." |
| The court heard Devine was angry as Sheffield United had just lost to MK Dons. The court heard he wanted to apologise to the victim as it had never been his intention to cause her harm. | The court heard Devine was angry as Sheffield United had just lost to MK Dons. The court heard he wanted to apologise to the victim as it had never been his intention to cause her harm. |
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