A former English Premier League footballer has been found not guilty of rape following a retrial, ending a five-year fight to clear his name.

Ched Evans, a Wales international who has played for Manchester City and Sheffield United, wept and hugged his partner after the verdict was given at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday.

The 27-year-old Evans admitted to having sex with the teenager in a hotel in north Wales in May 2011 but always insisted it was consensual. He was convicted of rape in April 2012 and released from prison after serving half of his five-year sentence.

The rape conviction was overturned in April following an appeal.

The retrial lasted two weeks.                     

Evans plays for third-tier club Chesterfield.

In January 2015 Evans had been linked to a move to Paola Hibernians Football Club, which had never materialised.