Convicted
rapist Ched Evans has spoken out saying he is 'ashamed' of his actions -
but has expressed no remorse for the crime and continues to protest his
innocence.
The
footballer, who was released from prison on Friday after serving half
of a five-year sentence for raping a woman in a hotel room, has said
that cheating on his girlfriend was 'unforgivable' and that he wishes he
could 'turn back the clock'.
But the 25-year-old has maintained that the sex was consensual.
Convicted rapist Ched Evans has said
he is 'ashamed' of his actions and wishes he could 'turn back the clock'
on the May 2011 hotel room incident, but has continued to protest his
innocence
Evans has said cheating on his girlfriend, Natasha Massey, pictured, was 'unforgivable'
Spokeswoman
for Rape Crisis charity Katie Russell has said Evans' comments are
harmful and insulting to his victim, for whom she said he had never
shown any regard.
Evans, who was convicted of rape by a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court two years ago, told the Sunday Mirror:
'It was something that should never have happened. And it is something
that I will regret for the rest of my life. I cheated on my girlfriend
and had sex with this girl - but it was definitely consensual.'
Evans'
mother, Helen Roberts said her son was 'buzzing' and will return home
with 'all guns blazing to prove his innocence'. His family and
girlfriend Natasha Massey - who has a led a campaign to have Evans
conviction overturned - were to throw a coming home party for him.
Ms
Roberts said that her son's critics didn't know all the facts. She told
the Daily Star: 'We just hope the feminist gang will soon find
something else to go and bang their drum about.'
Ms Massey has led a campaign to have
Evans conviction overturned; his case is to be reviewed by the Criminal
Case Review Commission in the coming weeks
Evans,
who was jailed in April 2012 for the rape in Rhyl, North Wales,
admitted having sex with the woman but she told the jury she had no
memory of the incident.
The
prosecution said the 19-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal
reasons, was too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse.
An
appeal against Evans' conviction was rejected by three judges at the
Court of Appeal in 2012 but it is due to be reviewed by the Criminal
Case Review Commission in the coming weeks.
Cases
normally take several months to be dealt with by the commission, but
Evans' case is being fast tracked due to 'issues raised' by his legal
team.
The
commission said that was not a reflection of the strength of his case.
The request was in line with their 'policy on prioritisation' and 'the
facts of the case'.
Port Vale defender Clayton McDonald also admitted having sex with the victim but was found not guilty of the same charge.
Debate has raged during the past week about whether the former Sheffield United player should be able to return to football.
Many
Blades fans have called for Evans to be rehabilitated but almost
150,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Bramall Lane
club not to take him back.
Clayton McDonald arrives at the Premier Inn hotel in Rhyl, North Wales, with the 19-year-old
The victim is captured on CCTV at the hotel, where she had initially gone with McDonald
The victim is seen leaving the hotel;
Evans case is being looked at by the Criminal Case Review Commission in
the coming weeks and has been fast tracked following 'issues raised' by
his legal team
McDonald was cleared of raping the victim, above, but Evans was convicted and sentenced to five years jail
TV
presenter Judy Finnigan sparked controversy by claiming his crime was
'non violent' and did not cause 'bodily harm' during a panel discussion
on ITV's Loose Women.
Her
comments caused a wave of criticism, abuse on social media and led to
threats being made against her daughter, fitness instructor Chloe.
Yesterday Sheffield United said they had not offered Evans a new contract.
In
a statement, the club dismissed the report as 'speculative' adding: 'We
have made a statement on this matter previously and the lack of
credibility and substance from this latest media report does not warrant
any expansion from previous comments apart from noting that we are
continuing to deliberate on any long-term decision about Ched Evans.'
TV
presenter and Sheffield United patron Charlie Webster, who revealed in
an interview earlier this year she was sexually assaulted as a teenager,
said she will quit her role with the club if they re-sign Evans.
She
told BBC Radio 5 Live: 'You will have young people cheering him on when
he scores a goal. Not under my name, under my club or community.
'He says he is innocent, he has shown no remorse.'
She
was immediately branded a 'hypocrite' by Evans' sister Kylie, who
retweeted a message in which the sports presenter posted last month
saying she wanted to get a photograph of former heavyweight boxing
champion and convicted rapist Mike Tyson.
He was convicted of rape in 1992 after an incident the previous year and subsequently served three years of a six-year sentence.
Miss Webster, 31, later said she was now 'not proud of' her Tyson tweet.
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