WELSH FOOTBALL INTERNATIONAL Ched Evans today lost his Court of Appeal challenge against his conviction for rape.
The 23-year-old, who played for Sheffield United as a striker, was jailed for five years in April after being found guilty of raping a woman who prosecutors said was “too drunk to consent”.
Evans was accused of raping the 19-year-old woman at a north Wales hotel in May 2011 while two friends attempted to film the incident using a mobile phone. He applied for leave to appeal against his conviction but three judges rejected his case.
“We can see no possible basis which would justify us interfering with the verdict of the jury, which heard all the evidence and reflected on it after careful summing up by the judge,” said Lord Chief Justice Igor Judge, the head of the judiciary in England and Wales.
The three judges also threw out a bid by Evans to have his sentence reduced. Evans had admitted having sex with the woman but told his trial that the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had consented.
Port Vale defender Clayton McDonald, was found not guilty of the same charge.
Nine people who admitted to naming the victim on Twitter pleaded guilty to an offence on Monday and were each told to pay £624 (€780) in damages to the woman.
A 10th person denied the charge and was granted bail until 21 January.
