Police make 13th arrest over Twitter naming of footballer’s rape victim

A man from Rhyl was held yesterday on suspicion of malicious communication, North Wales Police said.

Earlier, nine people were bailed pending further inquiries after being arrested yesterday and questioned on suspicion of malicious communication or under Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Amendments Act.

Three men from the Sheffield area were arrested and released on bail last week.

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 hotel room.

He denied the allegation and plans to appeal against the verdict.

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

Tuesday’s arrests involved five men and four women from Conwy, Denbighshire and Flintshire who have all been bailed until July.

North Wales Police described the alleged online comments as “profoundly disturbing” and said they contributed to the victim’s “continued trauma”.

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

Detective Sergeant Bob Halford, who is leading the investigation, said more arrests would be made.

Evans, 23, admitted having sex with the woman at a hotel in North Wales last May.

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

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

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