A regional daily editor says he was left fearing for his own safety after threats from internet trolls over Tweets he made about convicted rapist Ched Evans.
James Mitchinson, editor of Sheffield daily The Star, received the abuse after reporting a section of Sheffield United supporters had been chanting Evans’ name during their match on Tuesday night.
Respondents included those telling him he would get “a good kicking” as well as calls for him to be sacked from his position.
It comes after claims the club may re-sign former player Evans, pictured, following his recent release from jail.
In an editorial in yesterday’s Star, in which he showed examples of some of the abuse he had received, James said: “On Tuesday night I got a bit of a taste of what it’s like to be the target of what have become fashionably known as ‘trolls’ when a member of my team at Bramall Lane reported on a significant minority of Blades fans chanting hero songs for convicted rapist Ched Evans.
“If I’m honest, I found some of it quite scary and felt compelled to ensure the South Yorkshire Police Twitter account was copied in to the worst of the threats.
“What became quickly apparent was that some Sheffield United fans saw the report as a direct attack on their football club.
“Let’s be clear, it wasn’t. Not a scrap of our reporting on Evans is an attack upon the club.
“The Star has long been an admirer and supporter of Sheffield United, on and off the pitch. Likewise Sheffield Wednesday, Rotherham United, Barnsley, Doncaster Rovers and Chesterfield.
“I can only assume that the people who left me fearful for my safety could not distinguish that a report about a significant minority of fans hero-worshipping a man convicted of rape is an observation of what happened, and not a manufactured pop at their beloved badge, nor an attack upon Sheffield United.”
In the piece James also stated his belief Evans, who was released from prison last week after serving two and a half years of his five year sentence, should not play again for United.
He added: “If he is cleared, and United then sign him, they won’t have signed a convicted rapist, but Ched Evans the footballer. For now, that’s a fantasy world.
“‘But if we don’t sign him, someone else will’ certain factions have shouted.
“Evans did not bring any would-be club – the people who pay his wages, the fans who wear his name across their backs – into disrepute.
“He did bring Sheffield United into disrepute. He let them and the fans down badly.
“So, yes, Evans will come back into football. I do believe someone should employ him somewhere, in football or otherwise, but I think he has hurt United too much for them to allow him to return.”
In April 2012 Evans was found guilty of raping a 19-year-old woman at a hotel near Rhyl, North Wales, the previous year.
He has refused to admit his guilt and is currently appealing for his conviction to be overturned, even setting up a website to accompany his campaign.
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Good on you, James Mitchinson. Shame on you, Sheffield United and double shame on their subhuman ‘fans’.
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He needs to get out more if he genuinely ‘fears for his own safety’ after a little grief on Twitter.
Blades’ fans may be passionate, but I don’t think they’re quite IS.
However, as Mitchinson felt the need to say Evans should not be re-signed by United, did he not expect a splash or two of vitriol from United fans who don’t care what Evans has done, but simply see his goals as a route to the Championship?
It’s hard to understand, from the report above, why United fans who chanted for Evans would criticise a reporter (or an editor) who reported that such chanting happened.
If Mitchinson tweeted that Evans should not be re-signed, what reaction did he expect?
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Propaganda
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@ianhalstead
He probably didn’t expect threats to his life… or do you think that’s just ‘bantz’
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Idiotic behaviour by a bunch of idiots. Unpleasant, of course, but sadly par for the course occasionally in newspapers.
And just a slight correction to your story – according to The Star’s piece, one Tweeter said Mr Mitchinson “wants a good kicking”. They did not threaten to give him one.
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After all these years, and all this banging on about the freedom of the press to report the facts, there is still a section of the public who only want papers to have that freedom when it suits them. When it doesn’t suit them, they want censorship.
It always used to happen – and probably still does, when papers can spare the staff to attend such things – over the reporting of inquests and court cases when the family or friends are faced with truths they don’t want to hear. At which point they appear raving in the front office (remember those, guys?) or, these days, they post on Twitter. I suspect this mob in Sheffield are cut from the same cloth.
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Threatening reporters online? Chanting their support for a deviant? Are we surprised by the conduct of these morons? Absolutely not! Ched Evans and any other rapist should be the ones fearing for their own safety.
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Why so much fuss over Evans not apologising. Despite the verdict, He insists he is innocent , so logically he is hardly likely to apologise because it would weaken his case.
I was once threatened in a court toilet by pals of a defendant, but carried on reporting anyway. Kind of goes with territory!
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He really needs to stop whining and grow a pair.
Newspaper editors get grief. It comes with the territory.
Been there, done that.
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The Star’s reporting on Ched Evans has been so biased on could at times take it as a press release from North Wales Police. That so much passion is engendered indicates the depth of feeling over a miscarriage of justice. Finally it is “I presume” James, not “I assume”. Journalists eh?
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Oh Lordy. You dish it out, you take it. End of story.
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As a retired Press photographer,being threatened at court snatches,doorstepping at “tricky situations”….not to mention two miners strikes….this was a part of the job.
Once I was told that I would get my head cut off,and I have a great picture of a villain actually throwing a spade at me…
Perhaps he should get out more……..
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