Ched Evans left prison early on Friday morning after serving half of a five-year sentence

Ched Evans left prison early on Friday morning after serving half of a five-year sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman in a hotel.

But a bouncy castle hired to celebrate his return home was seemingly cancelled at the last minute by his family. A van containing a bouncy castle and a marquee was sent away from the family home in North Wales on Friday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, under the cover of darkness, at 4.58am, a silver Mercedes ML 4x4 was seen pulling up outside Wymott Prison near Leyland, Lancashire. 

A 4x4 carrying convicted rapist Ched Evans leaves Wymott Prison in Lancashire at 5am

 

The Welsh footballer, who last played for Sheffield United, has served half his five-year sentence for rape

A van containing a bouncy castle and a marquee had pulled up outside the family home in North Wales, and the bouncy castle allegedly went into the house before being removed and taken away

Family and friends arrived at Evans' mother's house in North Wales following his release

BLADES CONTINUED TO PAY EVANS 

Sheffield United continued to pay Ched Evans after he was convicted of rape.

Football clubs can terminate a player’s contract, sacking them on the grounds of gross misconduct if they are found guilty of a criminal offence.

But Sportsmail understands that officials at Bramall Lane honoured the remaining few months of Evans’ £20,000-per-week contract after he was imprisoned in April 2012 for raping a 19-year-old girl.

Evans was seen getting into the back of the car which had blacked out windows and the vehicle left in a matter of seconds.

An onlooker said: 'It was a synchronised movement. The Mercedes turned up and then parked up down the road. It then reversed back at speed towards the jail exit.

'Then the prison door opened and the back door of the car opened. Ched then dived in the back and the car sped off.'

The striker, 25, was jailed in April 2012 for raping the woman in a hotel room in Rhyl, North Wales.

Evans' release will pile more pressure on his former club, Sheffield United, to say whether he will be allowed to play for them again.

Many Blades fans have called for him to be rehabilitated, but almost 150,000 people have signed an online petition urging the Bramall Lane club not to welcome him back.

But in a 600-word statement, Evans's family hit out at the organisers of the petition and the media for what they claim was 'sensationalist and often factually incorrect' reporting of the case.

The statement, posted on a website set up to clear the Wales striker's name, said they had always sought to satisfy an 'insatiable and hungry media society' with interviews proclaiming his innocence.

Evans (right) pictured on a night out with his family, who have lashed out after days of debate over whether he should be allowed to play again

The footballer, who had been playing for Sheffield United, with his girlfriend Natasha Massey

Natasha Massey defends boyfriend Ched Evans on This Morning

In a statement released on his website on Friday, Evans' family announced their intention to launch another appeal to overturn the conviction.

It reads: 'Chedwyn Evans maintains his absolute innocence and his family, friends and many who know the true facts of the case believe that his conviction was a gross miscarriage of justice.

'On 15 July 2014 Ched’s new legal team David Emanuel of Garden Court Chambers London and Shaun Draycott submitted an application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission which is the first step to a second appeal. They are confident in their submission.

'We believe that due to Ched’s profession, information that was not used by his original defence and other information that has been gathered since his conviction will in time overturn a wrongful conviction.

'For those who only read the media reports, this website endeavours to redress the balance by presenting the evidence in a balanced and accurate manner so that the public can assess the salient facts and make their own judgement.

'From the outset we would like to state that this website in no way seeks to undermine the seriousness of rape or trivialise the suffering that rape victims suffer. We recognise that rape is a terrible crime which, if committed, ought to carry a severe sentence.

'This website is not about the severity of the sentence, we are stating that Ched did not commit the crime of rape at all. Furthermore, we recognise and acknowledge that in rape cases the anonymity of the victim is a fundamental legal principle that should be upheld and respected.' 

Evans in action for Sheffield United in a derby match with Sheffield Wednesday in 2009 

Evans playing for Wales in an international friendly match with Scotland in November 2009 

Evans denied the offence but was found guilty by a jury at Caernarfon Crown Court.

He admitted having sex with her, but the woman told the jury she had no memory of the incident. 

The prosecution said the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was too drunk to consent to sexual intercourse.

Port Vale defender Clayton McDonald also admitted having sex with the victim but was found not guilty of the same charge.

An appeal against Evans's conviction was rejected by three judges at the Court of Appeal in 2012.

His girlfriend, Natasha Massey, has led a campaign to have the conviction overturned.

Evans's case is due to be looked at by the Criminal Case Review Commission in the coming weeks.

Miss Massey has reiterated her support for her partner telling ITV's This Morning that she put her feelings about his cheating to one side to support him through his trial and prison and she said she has visited him every week in prison.

Miss Massey said Evans hopes to play professional football again.

Sheffield United have refused to say whether they will allow Evans to play again. 

Kylie Evans (left), the sister of rapist Ched Evans (right), leaving Wymott Prison in Lancashire on Thursday 

Manager Nigel Clough has said: 'We have had one or two discussions, we are awaiting a decision and the owners will make that in good time.'

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said the owners of Sheffield United should 'think really long and hard' before deciding whether to allow Evans back.

Mr Clegg said footballers were role models to youngsters and that should 'weigh heavily' on the club's owners.

The Liberal Democrat leader and Sheffield Hallam MP said: 'I don't think it's right for politicians to tell football clubs what they will do and who they employ. All I'm saying is I think football players these days, they get paid a lot of money, they are public figures and you can't ignore that.'

Wymott Prison, near Leyland in Lancashire, where Ched Evans was held

Richard Caborn, the former sports minister and a Sheffield United fan, said Evans should be allowed back only if he shows remorse and says sorry.

Labour sports spokesman Clive Efford said it was 'not appropriate' for Evans to return to professional football after his release.

Mr Efford told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'I think there are many areas of employment where, when you've committed a crime like that, you are not allowed to be employed in that form of employment, and I think football is one of them, because you are a role model within a community.

'I know this is sad for Ched Evans, who's been to prison and paid a price, but I think that in these circumstances it's not appropriate to have someone with that record in a profession where you are idolised by young people.'

Evans scored 48 goals in 113 games for the Blades before his imprisonment, including 35 in 42 games during the 2011-12 campaign which was cut short for him due to his trial and conviction.

He has been capped 13 times by Wales.