londonblue
Topgun Pilot
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2004
- Messages
- 19,210
Is he actually being treated any worse than anyone else though?
I work for a major UK Insurance company and if I was convicted of a crime (any crime, not just rape) which lead to a custodial sentence my contract would be terminated immediately. Evans, I believe, continued to be paid during his time inside, a privilege afforded to very few employees.
Upon release from prison I doubt very much my employee would take me back on. In fact I doubt any insurance company would sign an underwriter with a rape conviction on their CV. This is true of many professions in both the private and public sector.
Yes, there is a place for rehabilitation but in a legal sense that is to reintegrate the offender back into society. That reintegration does not automatically mean that person returns to their previous profession or enjoys a similar status to that prior to their conviction. In fact most people, especially sex offenders, have very limited opportunities upon release and need to pursue new or different careers. In that respect Ched Evans is no different.
And the same would have been true of me in previous jobs (I'm self employed now), but the difference is that I was told in advance, and it was in my contract that I would not be allowed back should that kind of thing happen. I doubt very much that such a clause existed in CE's contract with Sheffield United. It would therefore be unfair to impose such a clause after the event. Moreover, my understanding is the CE's contract was terminated once he was convicted.
You also state that it would be unlikely that your old employer would take you back. But that doesn't mean they can't by law. That is also true of any other employer. In CE's case he's not asking his old employer to take him back, he's asking for any employer in his profession to give him a chance.
It simply isn't the same thing.
About the only sensible comment I have heard recently was actually from Greg Dyke who thinks that certain rules of behaviour should be introduced for footballers to be able to play. If that is the case, then I assume the FA can revoke a registration, and then refuse to re-register a player after they come out of prison.
I would be all for that because it would stop situations like this happening again. But, whilst there are no such rules in place, it is IMO unfair for people to stop CE playing again.