Ched Evans rape appeal: Footballer poised to hear verdict
Footballer Ched Evans is to learn the outcome of an appeal against his conviction for raping a 19-year-old woman.
The Court of Appeal in London will publish its ruling in the case after a hearing last month which was backed by the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), which investigates possible miscarriages of justice.
The CCRC announced last October that new evidence had emerged in the case.
In a hearing on March 22, Evans sat in the packed courtroom with girlfriend Natasha Massey by his side.
An order made by the Court of Appeal judges prevented reporting of the details of the legal argument.
Lady Justice Hallett, Mr Justice Flaux and Sir David Maddison will heard submissions from Kieran Vaughan QC, for Evans, and from Eleanor Laws QC, for the Crown.
A decision in the case is due to be handed down on Thursday morning.
The former Sheffield United striker and Welsh international was convicted in April 2012 of raping the woman at a hotel in Rhyl.
Evans was released from prison in 2014 after serving half of his five-year sentence.
The referral to appeal judges followed a 10-month investigation by the commission.
When the decision was announced, CCRC chair Richard Foster said: "The decision of the commission is not a judgment on guilt or innocence in relation to Ched Evans, nor is it a judgment about the honesty or integrity of the victim or any other person involved in the case.
"Our role is to consider applications to see if, in our judgment, there is any basis on which to ask the court to hear a fresh appeal - that is our statutory responsibility.
"In this case we have identified new material which was not considered by the jury at trial and which, in our view, might have assisted the defence.
"In those circumstances, it is right and proper for the matter to be before the court so that they can decide whether or not the new information should affect the verdict in this case."
Evans previously lost his case at the Court of Appeal in 2012.
Evans scored 48 goals in 113 games for the Blades before his imprisonment, including 35 in 42 games during the 2011/12 campaign which was cut short for him due to his trial and conviction.
He has been capped 13 times for Wales.
Lady Justice Hallett said the reporting restrictions will be "revisited" by the court at the conclusion of the proceedings.
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