Fear of exposure on social media led to rape claim, defence tells trial
A WOMAN only claimed she was raped by Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding because she feared a partygoer who was in the room had taken photographs and they would appear on social media, a court has heard.
Paddy Jackson’s defence team said the alleged victim at the centre of the rape claim had initially failed to tell police that a woman had walked into the bedroom during the alleged assault.
Counsel Brendan Kelly QC told the jury of eight men and three women at Belfast Crown Court yesterday that the alleged victim had feared the eyewitness, Dara Florence, had taken photographs of the sexual activity and they would appear on social media.
He said that is why the woman claimed she had been raped.
‘It was her main concern the morning after and in the days that followed.
‘If it did get out on social media, this exposé with this well-known rugby player, one of the first persons to find out would be [her friend].
‘So what do you do if you are trying to derail those rumours? You get in first, as soon as you wake that morning and your first port of call is [the friend],’ he said.
Mr Kelly said during her first interview with police the alleged victim failed to mention that Ms Florence had walked in and that she feared photographs had been taken.
‘It was absolutely vital that from that ABE [Achieving Best Evidence] what was missing was the independent witness walking in.
‘It was the reason for the lie, the reason she was petrified this would end up on social media,’ said Mr Kelly.
He added: ‘There’s real doubt as to when it was that the independent witness, and what she had to say, was first mentioned to police.’
The defence lawyer made the comments as he continued his closing submission to the jury.
Dara Florence, he said, was central to the case. She would have helped the alleged victim if she thought an attack was unfolding when she entered the bedroom where Jackson and teammate Stuart Olding were engaged in sexual activity with her, Kelly told jurors.
He said that, in her evidence to the trial, Ms Florence instead stated that the woman was showing no signs of distress.
‘Dara Florence confirmed from what she could see [the woman] was not distressed,’ he said.
‘Dara Florence was not stupid. She was articulate. She spoke clearly.’
Mr Kelly added: ‘Dara Florence’s evidence is extraordinary. In she walked and that was her conclusion.’
Referring to Ms Florence’s evidence that Jackson asked her if she wanted to join in, Mr Kelly said: ‘What did they do to conceal [the rape]?’
He added: ‘When people commit crime they tend to hide, they tend to conceal what they did because they don’t want to get caught.
‘What did these two violent rapists do when she walked in? They invited her to join in. Dara is absolutely central to this case.’
Ms Florence was one of three girls at the house party where the alleged rape took place.
Mr Kelly said there was no sign that those women would have done anything other than help the alleged victim if they witnessed a rape.
‘[The alleged victim] confirmed that the girls had been nice to her downstairs,’ he said.
‘There was no suggestion made by [the woman] that they would do something other than help a girl of her age in those circumstances.’
Mr Kelly added: ‘There was no sign from their behaviour that night that they would do anything other than help her if they witnessed her being raped.
‘The backdrop is not a form of animosity. There was no enemy or foe presented in Dara Florence.’
He also said that Ms Florence had no phone at the time when she walked in.
‘Dara Florence had no telephone in her hand at the door. There were no pictures being taken at the door,’ he said.
Jackson, 26, from Belfast’s Oakleigh Park and Olding, 25, from Ardenlee Street in the city, deny raping the same woman after a night out in Belfast on June 28 2016. Jackson denies a further charge of sexual assault.
Two other men are also on trial on charges connected with the alleged attack. Blane McIlroy, 26, from Royal Lodge Road in Belfast, denies one count of exposure. Rory Harrison, 25, from Manse Road in Belfast has pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice and withholding information.
Jackson’s defence has now concluded summing up the evidence.
The case was adjourned until Wednesday and the judge advised the jury to put the case out of their minds until then. The trial is in its seventh week.
‘It was the reason for the lie’ ‘Dara’s evidence is extraordinary’