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Belfast rape trial hears that alleged victim initially refused to name accused men

This article contains graphic details which some readers may find distressing Paddy Jackson and S...
Newstalk
Newstalk

19.10 15 Feb 2018


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Belfast rape trial hears that...

Belfast rape trial hears that alleged victim initially refused to name accused men

Newstalk
Newstalk

19.10 15 Feb 2018


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This article contains graphic details which some readers may find distressing

Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding’s rape trial has been hearing about their alleged victim’s reluctance to identify the men when she first went to police.

The woman, who was 19 at the time, was initially worried about naming the Ireland and Ulster rugby players because of their high profiles.

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Paddy Jackson is accused of raping the then 19-year-old student at a party at his house in south Belfast.

Stuart Olding is accused of forcing the same woman to perform oral sex on him.

Both men deny raping the woman at Jackson’s house in June 2016.

Today, the jury heard about her reluctance to go to police. She told one friend she was worried she wouldn’t be believed because of who they were.

The police officer who first spoke to her the day after the alleged attack said the conversation was very difficult because she was reluctant to give him many details.

He said she just told him these were high-profile people.

When she told him she’d been in Ollies nightclub the night before, the PC suspected they might have been Ulster rugby players - and she confirmed it.

He said she eventually named Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding and a man called Blane McIlroy – who is facing one count of exposure.

He said he logged her account but didn't realise he was supposed to fill out a “verbatim” account until after she left, so he said he did that retrospectively


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