‘She was concerned about publicity because of big, high-profile players’

THE police constable in the witness box said his conversation with the young woman had initially been very difficult, because she had been reluctant to give him many details about what had happened.

Asked by Toby Hedworth QC, for the prosecution, if there was any particular part that she seemed reluctant to tell him, he revealed all she would say at first was that they were “high-profile people”.

“She wasn’t telling me about any of the people involved in the allegation so I said: ‘If I asked you an honest question, would she give me an honest answer?’,” he said.

The officer, who is not permitted to be named under the rules of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, was somewhat bashful in court as he revealed the lucky break that led to him guessing the identities of the alleged perpetrators.

His 19-year-old stepdaughter also happened to have been to Ollie’s nightclub that night and happened to mention that she had seen some Ulster rugby players there.

“So I suspected that they might be Ulster rugby players,” the policeman told the court. “So I asked her – and she said they were.”

“Having got that far with her, was she prepared to go further?” inquired Mr Hedworth.

“So, initially she didn’t want to name any of the people involved,” replied the policeman.

“But eventually she named Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding and Blane McIlroy.”

Later, he described her as having been crying and upset during that interview.

The young woman was concerned about publicity and did not want her family to know about this.

She had also been concerned about publicity because of the involvement of “these big, high-profile players”, he added.

However, he had told her it was better to make a complaint now rather than risk losing vital evidence.

In the continued cross-examination of one of the young woman’s closest friends, Brendan Kelly SC, for Mr Jackson, asked her about text messages the young women had exchanged some 12 days before the alleged attack, in which they had discussed the issue of rape.

Mr Kelly reminded her that she had said: “If I ever get raped, I’m never going to the police.”

“And that you would deal with the ‘nig**r’ – but it’s obviously man – yourself,” said Mr Kelly.

The young woman gave an incredulous chuckle.

“Obviously that’s not serious, it’s for humour,” she told the lawyer.

The alleged victim had replied that nine out of 10 rapes go unreported.

“You say you’ve just got to find a way to blackmail them or stab them or something,” said Mr Kelly, his voice sharpening.

Sowhywouldyounot go to the police? he queried.

“For the reason of what’s happening in this room right now,” the young woman replied.

“It’s daunting and it’s quite horrible. You get blamed ... it’s a distressing process.”

Silence hung in the courtroom for a moment.

And the blackmailing and the stabbing? asked Mr Kelly.

“It was clearly a joke,” she said.

Mr Hedworth returned to these texts – and added that the alleged victim had replied by saying: “I’m actually considering taking up boxing.”

“That’s a good idea, to be fair,” her friend had then said.

‘It’s daunting and it’s quite horrible .... it’s distressing’