Two more charged over naming of Ched Evans rape victim naming

Two more people have been charged with revealing the identity of a woman raped by footballer Ched Evans online, the Crown Prosecution said.

Benjamin Davies, 27, from Rhyl, and Michael Ashton, 21, from Llanddulas, North Wales, are accused of publishing matter on Twitter that was likely to lead members of the public to identify the complainant.

Both men have been bailed to appear before Prestatyn Magistrates' Court on November 5.

Four people have now been charged following the conclusion of the footballer's court case in April.

Dominic Green, 23, also from Rhyl, and Alexandra Hewitt, 24, from Broughton, were charged yesterday after they were accused of publishing messages revealing the victim's identity on Facebook, the CPS said.

Jim Brisbane, Chief Crown Prosecutor for CPS Cymru-Wales, said: "We have now concluded that there is sufficient evidence to charge Benjamin Davies, 27, from Rhyl and Michael Ashton, 21, from Llanddulas, with the offence of publishing a matter likely to lead members of the public to identify the complainant in a rape case, contrary to the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act, 1992.

"The Attorney General has granted consent to these prosecutions.

"Both men have been charged by North Wales Police and bailed to appear before Prestatyn Magistrates' Court on November 5.

"We are continuing to complete our evidential reviews in respect of a number of people under investigation by North Wales Police."

Former Sheffield United and Wales striker Evans was jailed for five years at Caernarfon Crown Court on April 20 for raping a 19-year-old woman in a Rhyl hotel room.

Evans admitted having sex with her, but the woman told the jury that she had no memory of the incident - and the prosecution argued that she was too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse.

Following the trial, the victim was allegedly named and subjected to abuse on Twitter and other social networking websites.

More than a dozen arrests were made, with North Wales Police saying the alleged online comments were "profoundly disturbing" and contributed to the victim's "continued trauma".

Police also met staff at Sky News after the broadcaster inadvertently published the woman's name.

The law gives the victims and alleged victims of rape and other sexual offences lifelong anonymity.

PA