An ex-Premier League footballer discovered to have raped a lady after she blacked out has signed for a brand new Scottish membership inflicting uproar amongst supporters together with crime author and shirt sponsor Val McDermid.
Raith Rovers' determination to offer a contract to former Blackburn Rovers striker David Goodwillie, 32, has brought on revulsion at a time when there are deafening calls to clear up sexism and misogyny in soccer.
In 2017 an Edinburgh decide dominated that Goodwillie and David Robertson raped mother-of-one Denise Clair in her flat when she was too drunk to consent to intercourse.
The 2 skilled footballers, who performed for Dundee United on the time, have been ordered to pay her £50,000 every after she sued them within the Scottish civil courts after prosecutors determined to not pursue the case by means of to a prison trial.
However Goodwillie, who has no prison document, resumed his profession within the Scottish leagues with Clyde and signed for Championship membership Raith Rovers hours earlier than the switch window shut yesterday.
Regardless of his new workforce heralding his arrival, Scottish crime author Val McDermid, who was a serious sponsor for Raith, has ended her lifelong help of the membership and withdrawn all shirt branding and funding. McDermid's web site had been the membership's shirt sponsor since 2014 however, after beforehand warning the membership in opposition to signing the participant, she has now introduced that endorsement is to be ended.
She mentioned immediately: 'The considered the rapist David Goodwillie working out on the pitch at Starks Park in a Raith Rovers shirt with my title on it makes me really feel bodily sick'.
'I've cancelled subsequent season's shirt sponsorship over this disgusting and despicable transfer. This shatters any declare to be a neighborhood or household membership', she added.
'Goodwillie has by no means expressed a shred of regret for the rape he dedicated. His presence at Starks Park is a stain on the membership. I will be tearing up my season ticket too.
'This can be a heartbreaker for me and lots of different followers, I do know'.
Hours later the captain of Raith's girls's workforce, Tyler Rattray, additionally give up the membership after 10 years as a participant in what's proving to be a PR catastrophe for the Fife membership, which is holding agency.
Raith Rovers Supporter Liaison Officer Margie Robertson additionally introduced she had give up. She mentioned: 'Resulting from latest developments inside the membership I've immediately tendered my resignation. My values and that of the membership are actually on a divergent path. I wish to thank everybody who has inspired me and helped me by means of out my tenure. I've loved assembly so many followers.'
After which First Minister Nicola Sturgeon tweeted: 'The stances that Val McDermid and girls's workforce captain Tyler Rattray have taken are principled - although troublesome for each of them.
'However the reality they're on this place in any respect reminds us that our society nonetheless has a strategy to go to make zero tolerance of sexual violence a actuality.'
Regardless of by no means going through a prison trial, in 2017 ex-Scotland footballer Goodwillie and his former Dundee United colleague David Robertson have been discovered to have raped Denise Clair at a flat in Armadale, West Lothian, in 2011.
Ms Clair, who waived her proper to anonymity, sued the duo after prosecutors determined to not pursue the case by means of the prison courts.
How a Scottish civil court docket discovered in opposition to two keep gamers who have been by no means charged with rape by the police
The decide mentioned the then 30-year-old had been 'incapable' of giving consent, that means the 2 males had raped her.
Making his ruling - and ordering the boys to pay her £100,000 compensation - Lord Armstrong mentioned Ms Clair's proof had been 'cogent, persuasive and compelling'.
However he criticised the footballers for his or her proof, suggesting Goodwillie had lied on oath to 'defend his personal pursuits'.
He mentioned: 'I discover that, within the early hours of Sunday January 2, 2011, each defenders took benefit of the pursuer when she was weak by means of an extreme consumption of alcohol and since her cognitive functioning and determination making processes have been so impaired, she was incapable of giving significant consent; and that they every raped her.'
Lord Armstrong additionally ordered the pair to pay Ms Clair - who had initially sued the footballers for £500,000 - compensation of £100,000.
Throughout the listening to, the court docket was informed how Goodwillie, then 27, and Robertson had all the time claimed that intercourse had been consensual.
However Ms Clair insisted she was incapable of consenting to intercourse as a result of she was so drunk.
Making his ruling, the decide mentioned he may ensure whether or not Goodwillie or Robertson really believed Ms Clair was consenting.
He additionally rejected the gamers' proof which claimed the girl was not notably affected by alcohol and was no extra drunk than anybody else that evening.
Lord Armstrong mentioned there was proof that Ms Clair and Robertson have been flirting earlier within the night, however he added: 'The mere reality of sexual attraction doesn't preclude rape.'
Describing Goodwillie's behaviour, the decide mentioned: 'The primary defender was not a powerful witness.
'Significantly in relation to his evaluation of the pursuer's situation, his proof was given with a view to his personal pursuits somewhat than in accordance with the oath which he had taken.
'I didn't discover his proof to be persuasive.'
Referring to Robertson, he added: 'Like the primary defender, I assessed the second defender as a witness who was being selective as to what he was ready to inform the court docket and whose proof, directed because it was totally to his personal pursuits, was partial and partisan.
'He didn't current as a witness who was being totally candid.
'On the numerous points arising within the case, I didn't discover his proof to be credible or dependable.'
The court docket was informed how, earlier than the rape occurred, Ms Clair had loved her life.
However she described in proof how her life had modified in July 2017 when prosecutors determined to not pursue prison proceedings.
She was informed by Crown Workplace that they weren't going forward with prison proceedings.
Lord Armstrong mentioned: 'She discovered that call obscure and had felt that she had not been believed.
'She felt that her life had been destroyed by one thing which had occurred though, due to her lack of reminiscence, she was not absolutely conscious of what it was that had brought on that impact,' he mentioned.
She had skilled suicidal ideas and it was solely final yr that she felt comfy forming an intimate relationship once more.
Lord Armstrong mentioned: 'She maintained emphatically that she would by no means voluntarily have had sexual activity with two males concurrently, and that she had by no means ever finished that earlier than. As she put it, she would by no means ever agree to do this.'
The decide mentioned the Ms Clair's reminiscence loss was finest defined by 'the phenomenon of alcoholic blackout'.
Now Goodwillie has signed for Raith, a petition has been began demanding the membership 'take away' their new signing, whereas a sponsor pulled out in disgust.
A fundraiser has additionally been launched, which has raised practically £1,500 for Rape Disaster Scotland.
Sponsor Paul Farley posted on Twitter: 'Have written to @RaithRovers ending TagGames future shirt, or different, sponsorship and requesting our branding faraway from shirts for the rest of the season.
'We stand with @valmcdermid and the vast majority of followers in opposition to violence in direction of girls.'
Native paper the Fife Free Press launched a petition asking for Goodwillie to be eliminated so the membership can stay 'household' oriented.
It mentioned: 'The Fife Free Press newspaper, which proudly serves the folks of the Kirkcaldy space, feels that Raith Rovers cannot proceed to name themselves a household membership whereas anticipating followers to cheer for a person dominated to be a rapist sporting the membership's colors.'