Police plan to make arrests as part of an investigation into the naming on Twitter of a 19-year-old woman raped by Sheffield United footballer Ched Evans, and have launched an investigation into Sky News after it broadcast her name in a report.
The football club has suspended a team-mate of Evans over comments allegedly made on his Twitter account after the Wales international was jailed for five years for rape on Friday.
Connor Brown, 19, a reserve team player, allegedly voiced support for Evans and made offensive comments about the victim.
North Wales police announced their investigation on Monday, after the victim was first identified on Twitter just hours after Evans was found guilty of the attack, which took place in a Premier Inn hotel room during a bank holiday last May.
The woman's name was circulated so widely that it is understood to have trended on Twitter over the weekend, meaning it was one of the most popular topics on the site. Tweets voicing support for Evans were still circulating on Tuesday evening.
A North Wales police spokesman said that arrests had yet to be made, but that the force was continuing to "monitor activity".
As part of the same investigation it is looking into how Sky News inadvertently displayed a Twitter feed naming the teenager as part of a news report.
"North Wales police will seek to ensure that the legal anonymity of victims in rape cases under the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Act 1992 is protected and those who commit offences in this regard will be brought before the criminal justice system," said assistant chief constable Gareth Pritchard. "We wish to reassure victims of serious sexual offences of our continuing determination to support them."
Sky issued an apology after the name flashed up on screen for what is understood to have been around a second.
"In our coverage last night we very briefly revealed the victim's name despite heavy redaction, and if watching in real-time viewers would not have noticed," said a Sky News spokeswoman. "We would, however, like to apologise to the victim and her family for any distress caused."
An Ofcom spokesman said that the regulator was not currently investigating to see if Sky's error was breach of the broadcasting code. The media regulator said that the incident was a matter for the police.
"Broadcasters must comply with our rules to protect the privacy of people who appear in their programmes," said a spokesman for the media regulator. "However, identifying victims of sexual assault is a criminal offence and as such is primarily an issue for the police."
A rape charity complained to police about Brown's tweets.
In a statement released today, the football club said: "Sheffield United Football Club have suspended reserve-team player Connor Brown with immediate effect pending an internal investigation into comments apparently posted on his personal Twitter account."
The club website also showed a statement from Evans' legal team, Brabners Chaffe Street: "We act on behalf of Ched Evans in connection with his recent conviction for rape at Caernarfon crown court. Mr Evans firmly maintains his innocence in this matter and as such, we confirm that Mr Evans will be appealing the decision."
