‘As a character witness, I was advised to get both sides of story,’ says Best
Ireland captain explains attendance at rape trial
IRELAND rugby captain Rory Best has defended his decision to attend the trial of rape accused Ireland and Ulster teammates Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding – saying he was advised to do so.
Best, who initially refused to comment on Friday about his attendance at the Belfast court earlier in the week, said that he did not need the permission of Ireland manager Joe Schmidt to attend the trial.
He said that he attended the trial last Wednesday in his own time and not that of the IRFU.
Speaking to the media in the aftermath of Ireland’s dramatic victory over France in Paris on Saturday night, the hooker explained that he is to be a character witness at the trial.
Best said the Ireland players were free to do as they wished on days off during the Six Nations campaign.
“We sign out on a Tuesday night and Wednesday is our day off, so technically we don’t need permission to do stuff in on our time,” he said.
“The reason I was there is that it’s on the record that I have been called on for a character reference and I was advised that it was important that I got both sides of the story, so I could make an informed decision about that.
“And because it’s an ongoing legal matter I will not make any further comment other than that,” he added.
Legal
It is so far unclear if the IRFU or Schmidt were aware that Best would be going to the trial.
Asked about the matter last Wednesday, the Ireland manager said he would not be commenting for legal reasons.
An IRFU spokesperson told the ‘Sunday Independent’: “We confirmed to the BBC last Wednesday that any person attending court proceedings does so in a personal capacity.
“It would be inappropriate for the IRFU to comment on any matter pertaining to ongoing legal proceedings.
“We must respect the primacy and importance of the ongoing trial and to do so we must ensure that we provide no information, or comment, that could either directly or indirectly impact upon it.”
Mr Jackson and Mr Olding are accused of raping a 19-yearold woman in June 2016, with Mr Jackson also facing an additional charge of sexual assault. They both deny the charges.
A third man, former Ulster Academy player Blane McIlroy, is charged with indecent exposure, while ex-UCD and Belfast Harlequins player Rory Harrison is accused of perverting the course of justice and withholding information. Both deny the charges.
The woman, now aged 21, cannot be named in order to protect her identity.
She will take to the witness stand for the fourth consecutive day at Belfast Crown Court when the trial resumes this morning.
The woman claims she was raped by Mr Jackson (26) and Mr Olding (24) in the bedroom of Mr Jackson’s south Belfast home in June 2016.