Rapist footballer Ched
Evans makes his first major public appearance since leaving prison as he joins England stars including Wayne Rooney at wedding of Tom Cleverley
- Disgraced striker watched Cleverley and wife Georgina Dorsett leave venue
- 26-year-old attended ceremony in Mayfair with his fiancée Natasha Massey
- Evans was convicted of rape in 2012 and has been granted leave to appeal
- He played for Manchester City while Cleverley was also living in same city
Rapist footballer Ched Evans today attended Tom Cleverley's star-studded marriage ceremony in what is thought to be his first official public appearance since leaving prison.
The disgraced striker, who was convicted of rape in 2012, joined England players including Wayne Rooney to watch Cleverley tie the knot to former TOWIE star Georgina Dorsett.
The 26-year-old, who wore a light blue suit and a matching tie, watched the celebrity couple as they were driven off in a vintage Rolls Royce adorned with ribbons and a 'just married' sign.
Disgraced footballer Ched Evans (circled in red to the left) joined England players including Wayne Rooney (centre) to watch Cleverley tie the knot to former TOWIE star Georgina Dorsett
Convicted rapist Ched Evans (pictured left and right in the light blue suit) was spotted in the crowd at Tom Cleverley's star-studded wedding. He was accompanied by his fiancée Natasha Massey (also pictured)
He was accompanied by his loyal fiancée Natasha Massey, who has stood by him throughout his trial and conviction.
Cleverley and Dorsett married at Claridge's in Mayfair in front of the footballer's former Manchester United teammates including Danny Welbeck, Chris Smalling and Wayne Rooney.
Although Evans has never played in the same team as Cleverley, the pair both lived in Manchester while Evans was playing for Manchester City.
His appearance at today's wedding is the first time that Evans has been seen at a public event since being released from jail in October last year.
Evans served half of a five-year sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman at a hotel in Rhyl, north Wales.
The footballer, who has successfully applied to have his conviction re-examined, maintains he is innocent of attacking his victim in 2011 because he believes the sex was consensual.
Ched Evans was pictured looking the worse for wear as he climbed out of a taxi later in the evening
The 26-year-old, who wore a light blue suit and a matching tie, watched the celebrity couple as they were driven off in a vintage Rolls Royce adorned with ribbons and a 'just married' sign
Just married: England footballer Tom Cleverley weds TOWIE star Georgina Dorsett in a star-studded ceremony at Claridge's in London
Star-studded ceremony: The couple married in front of his ex-Manchester United teammates including Wayne Rooney who arrived with his wife Coleen, pictured with Wes Brown's wife Leanne Brown (far right) and Chris Smalling (centre back, blue suit)
In January he finally apologised to his victim for the first time after a deal to sign for Oldham Athletic collapsed at the last minute.
Oldham became the fourth club to turn down the chance to sign the former Wales and Sheffield United striker, and Evans blamed 'mob rule'.
He said in a statement: 'Whilst I continue to maintain my innocence, I wish to make it clear that I wholeheartedly apologise for the effects that night in Rhyl has had on many people, not least the woman concerned'.
The woman was raped in the Premier Inn after his footballer friend Clayton McDonald, who was cleared of rape, texted Evans on the way there saying: 'I've got a bird'.
McDonald had sex with the victim, before Evans arrived and raped her, as two others filmed it through the window.
Celebration: Wayne and Coleen watched the couple get into their wedding car along with Sunderland defender Wes Brown (top centre)
Evans (pictured left and right) was released from prison in October last year after serving half of a five-year sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman at a hotel in Rhyl, north Wales
Ms Massey, who was his girlfriend at the time of the incident and is now his fiancée, has stood by Evans through his trial and conviction
After his release from jail his old club Sheffield United, who used to pay him £20,000-a-week, agreed to let him train with them.
But the League One club was plunged into crisis when three patrons quit, fans threatened a boycott and its main sponsor warned it would scrap their deal if they tried to sign him.
The club's bosses were accused of 'dragging the club through the mud' for bringing the 25-year-old back to training this week.
The footballer's legal team has handed its latest file of evidence to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which considers if convictions are unsafe.
If they believe there is a case they then refer it to the Court of Appeal where judges will consider whether to overturn the conviction or order a retrial.
This process could take up to a year to complete meaning Evans is unlikely to return to football before 2016 if he is cleared.
This post was written by: Author Name
Your description comes here!
Get Free Email Updates to your Inbox!
Post a Comment