Three held over Ched Evans rape victim naming on Twitter

Three men have been arrested as part of the investigation into the naming on Twitter of the victim in the Ched Evans rape case, police said today.

Evans, a Sheffield United footballer, was jailed for five years last week for raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel room.

Two of the men have been arrested under the Section Five of the Sexual Offences Amendments Act and the other is being held on suspicion of malicious communication, police said.

The men are being detained by South Yorkshire Police at Sheffield police station, where they are being interviewed by officers from North Wales Police.

Steve Williams, Detective Chief Inspector of North Wales Police, said: "These arrests were made with the assistance of South Yorkshire Police and are part of a series of planned arrests we will be making during this on-going investigation."

Wales international striker Evans, 23, was jailed for five years at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty of raping the woman, who was "too drunk to consent".

Following the conclusion of the trial, the victim of the rape was named and subjected to abuse on Twitter and other websites.

Sheffield United defender Connor Brown has been suspended by the club for comments he made on Twitter following the trial.

The Blades' reserve-team player responded to Evans's five-year prison sentence by tweeting various comments in relation to the case and his support for his teammate.

North Wales Police described the alleged comments on Twitter as "profoundly disturbing" and said they contribute to the young woman's "continued trauma".

Rape and other sexual assault victims are guaranteed the legal right to lifetime anonymity.

Evans admitted having sex with the victim, then aged 19, at a hotel in North Wales last May.

In her evidence, the woman said she has no memory of the incident and the prosecution argued she was too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse.

Evans' co-accused, Port Vale defender Clayton McDonald, 23, who also admitted having sex with the victim, was found not guilty.

Evans announced on Tuesday that he would appeal against his conviction.

In a statement posted on Sheffield United's website, law firm Brabners Chaffe Street said Evans "maintains his innocence" and would be appealing against the jury's verdict.

PA