A man has admitted publishing the name of the woman who accused former Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding of raping her.

Sean McFarland from Rinnalea Gardens in west Belfast was fined £300 for revealing her identity back in February while the trial was still underway.

After nine-weeks on trial before Belfast Crown Court, former Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were cleared of raping a woman at a house party at Jackson’s home in 2016.

On a date in February, 36-year-old Sean McFarland was accused of publishing the complainant’s name and was expected to contest the charge, but Northern Ireland’s Court Service has confirmed he pleaded guilty today.

The identity of a complainant in rape trials is protected throughout and a lifetime ban on reporting it remains in place regardless of the outcome.

Unlike rape trials held in Dublin, the public gallery in Belfast remains open and the use of social media by members of the public was a constant cause for concern during the trial.

An independent review has proposed over 200 changes to the way rape trials are run in Northern Ireland – among them is a proposal to close the public gallery, which would go a long way to ensuring a person’s identity is protected.