BLANE MCILROY

AT the time of the house party in June 2016, Blane McIlroy, pictured, had just returned from America. He had been studying at Life University in Atlanta and had just entered his third year. He was on scholarship and had just 12 weeks left before his business administration course was complete.

The 26-year-old has been unable to complete his studies, the court heard.

Mr McIlroy said he had a very close relationship with his parents and after Mr Jackson and Mr Olding’s arrest, told his parents everything that happened that night.

He was accompanied into and out of court every day by his mother who also sat in the public gallery listening to the graphic accounts of sexual activity.

When his defence barrister concluded his closing speech, there was a small ripple of applause from supporters in the public gallery.

Mr McIlroy has been friends with Mr Jackson since they were aged 11 and pals with Mr Olding ‘for some years’.

He attended the Ulster Rugby Academy but failed to secure a major senior contract.

During cross examination he agreed that from time to time he was prone to exaggeration.

Brendan Kelly QC, representing Paddy Jackson put to him: ‘You exaggerate from time to time and I think from time to time your close friends might even suggest you talk sh**e.’ He replied: ‘Yeah.’ During the trial he described how he had been interested in witness Dara Florence when she came back to the house party. In her evidence, Ms Florence told the court he had joked that he could give her ‘the time of her life’.