I Wasn't Hiding My Face From CCTV Cameras, Ched Evans Tells Rape Retrial

I Wasn't Hiding My Face From CCTV Cameras, Ched Evans Tells Rape Retrial

Striker Ched Evans has denied that he attempted to hide his face from CCTV cameras as he left a hotel after allegedly raping a teenager.

The Wales international, who insists the sex was consensual, used a fire exit door to leave the Premier Inn near Rhyl in the early hours of May 30 in 2011.

Evans, 27, told jurors the woman, then 19, had given him consent to "join in" after he walked into the £92 room where she was having sex with his best friend, footballer Clayton McDonald.

Prosecutors allege the woman, who cannot be named, was too drunk to consent to sex with Evans and has no memory of doing so.

On the fifth day of the case, a four-second CCTV clip showing Evans leaving the hotel through the fire exit door at 4.49am was played to the jury at Cardiff Crown Court.

Simon Medland QC, prosecuting, asked Evans: "You came out of that fire door and deliberately tucked your head down ... you've got your head down so you would not be looking at the camera. What would you say to that?"

Evans replied: "I would say you were wrong."

The retrial has previously heard Evans arrived at the hotel after receiving a text message from Mr McDonald, with whom he had been on a night out, saying: "I've got a bird."

During cross-examination, Evans admitted he had been "childish" to go into the room to get a look at the woman his friend had taken back.

However, he said he had originally gone to the hotel to inform Mr McDonald that one of their friends - and fellow footballer Javan Vidal - had been arrested.

The court heard that the defendant's 18-year-old brother and a teenage friend peered through the window of Room 14 "sniggering" and "taking footage on their phone" while Evans went inside to get a key from reception.

St Asaph-born forward Evans admitted he had "lied" to receptionist Gavin Burrough when saying he needed a key card because his friend did not need the room anymore.

When questioned by Mr Medland about that decision, Evans said: "I had a drink. I was being childish. It was not anything more sinister than that."

He added: "It was not sophisticated. It was just drunken behaviour."

The defendant, who now plays for League One side Chesterfield, said he opened the door to the room and saw his friend having sex with the woman.

Evans claimed Mr McDonald asked "can my mate join in" and the woman looked at him before agreeing that he could.

Mr Medland asked Evans whether he had spoken to the woman at all, suggesting that she was not aware that it was him engaging in sexual activity with her.

Evans replied: "She did know it was me. I wouldn't hurt a girl, I wouldn't do anything to harm a girl and I wouldn't perform oral sex on anyone that didn't ask me to.

"I didn't ask a question. It was a moment we were all caught up in. It wasn't the right time for conversation.

"She consented to me and she asked me to perform oral sex on her. I wouldn't have sex with someone who wasn't consenting."

Mr Medland asked: "Mr Evans I am going to suggest to you that you felt some how entitled to behave in that way with her?"

Evans replied: "Like I said, I would never take advantage of a girl who wasn't consenting with me.

"I wouldn't treat a girl in that way."

Evans was previously found guilty of raping the woman but this conviction was later quashed by the Court of Appeal.

The court heard Evans and Mr McDonald were on a night out in Rhyl with a number of friends on the night of May 29.

"We weren't on a night on the pull, we were just out for a lads' night. It wasn't like we were going out specifically to meet girls," Evans said.

They drank whisky and Coke at bars in the seaside town before going to The Godfather kebab shop at about 2.30am.

CCTV images show the alleged victim falling over inside the kebab shop, with Evans pointing and walking past.

Later, Mr McDonald and the woman took a taxi to the Premier Inn, which had been booked by Evans.

Judy Khan QC, representing Evans, asked her client: "How did she seem to you when she was in room 14?"

Evans replied: "She was in control. She was taking charge with the sexual positions.

"She was giving demands out. She just seemed like she had a drink but no more drunk than me or Clayton."

Evans insisted he had did not have any concerns "whatsoever" whether the woman was consenting or not.

Ms Khan asked: "If you had had any concerns about that would you have had sex with her?"

Evans replied: "No. I wouldn't have sex with anyone that wasn't consenting."

The court previously heard Evans was in a relationship with Natasha Massey at the time.

They are still in a relationship, plan to marry and have a nine-month-old son.

Evans and Mr McDonald were arrested in Cheshire on May 31 on suspicion of raping the woman.

Mr McDonald was acquitted of the charge during the earlier trial.

Ryan Roberts, the younger half-brother of Evans, told the court he watched Mr McDonald and the woman having sex through a window.

He had arrived at the hotel with Evans and friend Jack Higgins. Evans went to the hotel room, while Mr Roberts and Mr Higgins were outside.

They walked to the window of Room 14 and could see through the window because the curtains were open.

"I didn't expect to see anything to be honest," Mr Roberts told the jury.

The pair first saw figures having sex in the hotel room as it was dark inside.

Mr Higgins then used the light on his mobile phone to illuminate the room so they could see better.

"I could see a clear image of the girl on the bed," he said.

"I could see Clayton behind her and they were having consensual sex.

"It appeared to me that the woman was enjoying herself, judging by her reactions."

Mr McDonald saw the pair outside and came to the window before shutting the curtains.

The court heard that Mr Roberts then found Evans and told him Mr McDonald was "with a girl".

"I think he said he was going to go in and have a look," Mr Roberts said.

"I remember me and Jack going back to the window to see if we could see anything else."

The curtains then reopened and the pair could see Mr McDonald and the woman having sex again, he added.

Evans was in the room at that point, positioned towards the door.

The curtains closed again and Mr Roberts received a text message from his brother saying: "You can go home, I'll follow you".

Mr Roberts said Mr Higgins' phone was recording as they stood outside the window.

When asked about how he felt about his behaviour now, Mr Roberts, a secondary school teacher, replied: "To be honest, it makes me cringe.

"At the time I thought it was funny but now, looking back, it is immature and silly."

Ms Khan asked Mr Roberts about how the alleged victim seemed while having sex with Mr McDonald.

"She seemed to me like she was fully enjoying the sex that she was having," he added.

"She was fully participating."

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