Rory’s regret over appearance at Paddy Jackson’s rape trial
FORMER Irish rugby captain Rory Best has admitted that he regrets appearing at the Belfast rape trial two years ago, where he was called to act as Paddy Jackson’s character witness.
While Best did not act as a character witness in the end, he was photographed at court days before Ireland’s Six Nations match against France, prompting a social media backlash.
Former Ulster Rugby stars Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted of rape after a nine-week trial in 2018.
Speaking on Off The Ball on Newstalk, Best said that he was advised to appear as a character witness but failed to seek indemost, pendent legal advice.
“It turned it into a circus and it put a lot more pressure on something that was very sensitive,” he said. “And that is the thing that I definitely regret the to turn a magnifying glass on it like that. You live and learn and that was a big thing to live and learn,” he added.
Even though the judge had informed the jury that Mr Best was at court after the advice from senior counsel, he added: “While I was directed, ultimately I should have at least gotten independent advice and that’s my mistake and I hold my hands up to that.”
In the end, Mr Best did not act as a character witness.
“I think for those reasons, that, because it turned into something that they didn’t want, it turned into about rugby and about the pressure being applied from the rugby fraternity and they said that it kind of took the decision out of my hands,” Mr Best said.