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Hearing Over Belfast Rape Trial Reporting Restrictions

A hearing is due to be heard today on whether reporting restrictions relating to Paddy Jackson and S...
TodayFM
TodayFM

7:18 AM - 9 Apr 2018



Hearing Over Belfast Rape Tria...

News

Hearing Over Belfast Rape Trial Reporting Restrictions

TodayFM
TodayFM

7:18 AM - 9 Apr 2018



A hearing is due to be heard today on whether reporting restrictions relating to Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding’s rape trial should be lifted.

It’s been almost two weeks since the Ireland and Ulster rugby teammates were acquitted of raping the same woman at Jackson’s home in Belfast.

It was nine weeks before the jurors to be sent out to consider the evidence against Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding and two of their friends and it took them less than four hours to find them all not guilty.

Mr Jackson was acquitted of raping and sexually assaulting the then 19-year-old student at an ‘after party’ at his home in south Belfast in the early hours of June 28th 2016.

Mr Olding was also found not guilty of rape. Their friend Blane McIlroy was acquitted of exposure and another friend called Rory Harrison was cleared of perverting the course of justice and withholding information.

Despite the trial now being over, the media has so far been prohibited from reporting on the various legal arguments that took place in the absence of the jury.

The reporting restriction usually falls away once a trial is over but a court order was made to prevent the details being published or broadcast in any way.

A hearing on whether that order should be lifted is due to be heard today before the trial judge Patricia Smyth.



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