Ched Evans not guilty of raping teen after eight-day retrial

Welsh international footballer Ched Evans has been acquitted of raping a teenager following a retrial.

The Chesterfield striker, 27, was originally convicted of raping the 19-year-old in a Premier Inn near Rhyl, North Wales, in May 2011.

He served half of a five-year prison sentence before being released and there was a public outcry when he attempted to return to professional football.

Mr Evans joined League One 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 on Friday following three hours of deliberations after the eight-day hearing at Cardiff Crown Court.

Mr Evans, who has always maintained his innocence, hugged his fiancee Natasha Massey as he left the dock in court room five.

The couple stood together with supporters as Mr Evans's solicitor Shaun Draycott read a statement outside court.

"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 forever," the statement said.

"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 for their tireless efforts upon my behalf.

"Thanks go, too, to my friends and family; most notably my fiancee Natasha who chose, perhaps incredibly, to support me in my darkest hour."

The statement added: "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."

Sky News Sports Correspondent Paul Kelso was in court when Mr Evans heard the verdict and described his reaction as "emotional".

"As he was released from the dock he was already in tears and he embraced his girlfriend. The two of them embraced and sobbed," he said.

During the retrial, Mr Evans told the court that he had walked into a room at the hotel to find fellow footballer Clayton McDonald having sex with the complainant.

He said Mr McDonald had asked the woman whether he could join in, to which she looked up at him and replied: "Yes".

Mr Evans said he had consensual sex with the complainant before getting up and leaving after realising he was cheating on his girlfriend.

Prosecutors maintained the complainant was too drunk to agree to sex and awoke hours later confused and alone in the room.

But Mr Evans told jurors the woman was no drunker than him or Mr McDonald, insisting: "I wouldn't have sex with anyone that wasn't consenting."

The retrial heard new evidence from two men who had sex with the complainant around May 2011.

Both gave an account of the woman's sexual preferences that were similar to Mr Evans', supporting his assertion that she was consensual.

One told the jury he first met her through Facebook and they had a "purely sexual" relationship.

Two days before she had sex with Mr Evans, she sent him a series of text messages while on a night out, including one stating: "I want to tear you apart".

The other man said the complainant had woken up the morning after they had sex and claimed she could not remember what had happened.

"I was surprised because I did not think she was that drunk," he said. "She seemed capable of making decisions."

Chesterfield's chief executive Chris Turner said everyone at the club was looking forward to seeing the 13-cap Welshman back on the field again.

He said: "We are naturally delighted with the outcome, especially for Ched, his family and friends. We can now all move forward and focus on football."

There have been similar messages of support from others in the footballing world, including Rangers midfielder Joey Barton.

He tweeted: "Ched Evans found not guilty, but how does he get his reputation and his career back?"

Former Manchester City manager and player Peter Reid wrote on Twitter: "Ched Evans, should be some apologies coming your way lad."

Superintendent Jo Williams, of North Wales Police, said: "We acknowledge the decision of the jury."