Former Sheffield United and Wales striker Ched Evans has won his appeal against a rape conviction that saw him sentenced to five years in prison in April 2012. The now 27 year old was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old at a hotel near Rhyl, Wales and was later released on licence in October 2014.
His conviction caused quite a bit of debate and it was later sent to the court of appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission, a body which investigates possible miscarriages of justice. Three Court of Appeal judges sat last month to hear submissions from both sides of the case.
That appeal process has come to a head today and the court has ordered that Evans' initial rape conviction is to be quashed but he will have to face a retrial into the charges. It must be said that the prosecution has sought a retrial and, as such, the details of the appeal process and the reasons for the ordering of a retrial cannot be reported.
What we can say at the moment is that the fact Evans has won his appeal is not a judgement on his guilt or innocence. Instead, the quashing of the original conviction is merely a decision on whether or not the original proceedings had all the facts of the case available to them.
Speaking at the proceedings in London, Lady Justice Hallett explained how fresh evidence coming before the court ensured that it was in 'the interests of justice' to order a re-trial.
On 22 and 23 March we heard argument and we heard the fresh evidence. In summary, we have concluded that we must allow the appeal and that it is on the interests of justice to order a re-trial.
