skiprat, we are only party to those snippets of information provided by journalists present at the trial; the jury made the decision to find Evans guilty and Carlton not based on the evidence. My opinion, and it is just that, from reading the reported snippets on the BBC website is that, although Carlton had sex with the woman whilst she was drunk, it was difficult to ascertain with any certainty the circumstances by which she got to the hotel and most importantly (I believe), when Carlton left, he went via the front desk and asked the receptionist to “make sure [the woman] gets home safely”. Evans, on the other hand, made statements in court that he “didn’t remember” making a phone call to Carlton and getting in a taxi with the two who stood outside the window filming, yet he could remember exactly what the woman said when in the hotel; he lied to the receptionist to obtain a key card for the room; and when he left, he left by the emergency exit, avoiding the reception area. I think those were the key differences.
It’s so sad and worrying that these comments have come out, as it will deter any victim of sexual abuse from going through court proceedings. It’s difficult enough as it is to get victims to testify. And there is a sense that some members of society just don’t understand the letter of the law regarding rape and what rape is.
EDIT: aracer put it more elequantly than me!
