Rapist footballer Ched Evans' girlfriend vows to marry him and clear his name

The devoted girlfriend of jailed footballer Ched Evans has ­vowed to clear his name, declaring to the Sunday People: “He is no rapist.” And Natasha Massey, 25, is determined ­to marry him “as soon as he’s released”. Welsh international striker Evans is due to be freed this autumn after being jailed for five years in 2012 for raping a 19-year-old girl. But beauty therapist Natasha insists he is a kind, considerate and loving man who should never have been found guilty. She is so sure of his innocence she has bought a home where she hopes to start a family with him. Natasha said: “Ched getting convicted made me a stronger person. “I have stood by him and will do so until we clear his name. “This is one fight we will not lose, ­however long it takes. He was wrongly convicted.” Evans admitted cheating on Natasha with the teenager – but denied forcing her to have sex with him at a Premier Inn in the north Wales resort of Rhyl. Natasha said: “I was devastated he’d been unfaithful. “But he’s honest and loveable and I knew straight away the rape allegation wasn’t true.” She added: “It was hard to deal with the fact my boyfriend had cheated.