I hope Ched rapes you
Now sick trolls target Jessica Ennis for her stand on sex case footballer
Jessica ennis-Hill was last night threatened with rape by online trolls after she said she would cut her ties with sheffield United if they re- signed convicted rapist ched evans. The football club has named a stand after the Olympic champion – but she said she would want it renamed if evans was given a contract.
One tweet read: ‘Jessica ennis-Hill is a stupid c***. saying she will remove her name if ched evens (sic) is signed. i hope he rapes her.’
another user t weeted t he sportswoman, saying: ‘Hope ched evans gets you you little slut’ – before describing the insult as ‘a bit of banter’.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick clegg, the sheffield Hallam MP, condemned the threats, tweeting: ‘Rape threats against @J-ennis are sick and vile. This is totally out of order.’
The abuse comes just weeks after Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan’s daughter, chloe, was threatened with rape over the issue.
The threat was made after Judy Finnigan said on TV that evans should be able to return to his club because the victim was ‘drunk’ and the rape was ‘unpleasant’ but ‘not violent’. she was forced to apologise after widespread criticism. Last night, south Yorkshire Police confirmed they were investigating the threatening tweets.
ennis-Hill was honoured by her local team after winning gold in the heptathlon at the 2012 Games but has now said she would sever the links if it hands a contract to evans, who is set to train with the squad.
Her withdrawal of support could now be the death knell to any attempt by the Yorkshire club to allow evans to relaunch his career. in a statement, ennis-Hill, 28, said: ‘i believe being a role model to young people is a huge honour and those in positions of influence in communities should respect the role they play in young people’s lives and set a good example.
‘if evans was to be re-signed by the club it would completely contradict these beliefs.’ she was
‘Contradict my beliefs’
backed by David cameron yesterday. He told reporters at the G20 summit in Brisbane: ‘i quite understand why she’s said what she’s said and done what’s she done.’
The attack on ennis-Hill came after Fa chairman Greg Dyke said the row over whether evans, 25, should play football again was ‘not an important issue’. Mr Dyke, 67, appeared on BBC’s Newsnight on Thursday to discuss a report alleg- ing corruption over england’s World cup bid. But asked about evans, Mr Dyke said: it’s a dilemma and it’s not clear cut.’
asked where he stood, Mr Dyke blustered: ‘it’s not an important issue … err … is an important issue but not in terms of what we, we’re here, and what you asked me to come on and talk about.’
One tweet, posted by the official account of the end Violence against Women coalition, said: ‘Greg Dyke: football corruption is an important issue, rape isn’t.’
Football fan, Josh Lennon, said: ‘To not have a properly formed opinion over one of the most contentious stories around football this week is simply idiotic.’
evans was released from jail after serving two and a half years of a five-year sentence for raping a teenager at a hotel in 2011. an appeal against his conviction was rejected by three judges at the court of appeal in 2012, but his case is due to be looked at by the criminal cases Review commission.