Three arrested over naming of rape victim

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

Two were arrested under the Section 5 of the Sexual Offences Amendments Act and the third was held on suspicion of malicious communication, police said.

They were detained by South Yorkshire Police at Sheffield police station, where they were interviewed by officers from North Wales Police. Sexual assault victims have 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 had 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. Law firm Brabners Chaffe Street said he “maintains his innocence”.

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

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