Rugby boys admit they were ‘dopey’ with drink but protest they are innocent of rape
THE mood was good. The boys had four weeks off and were planning a holiday to Portugal. When the allegations they are facing allegations were made, Stuart Olding and Paddy Jackson were looking forward to the chance to “relax and let loose”.
They had just returned from Ireland’s tour to South Africa, having won one match out of the series of three – a disappointing result but Mr Jackson was happy with his own performance.
He said he was “the happiest man in Belfast”.
Mr Olding said he was “in a good place in his life”.
In the most intense week of the trial so far, the two Ulster and Ireland rugby players took the stand.
It’s not often alleged rapists give evidence, particularly in a trial as high profile as this and the sense of anticipation was tangible as Mr Jackson and then Mr Olding gave their stories.
The public gallery waited with bated breath to hear what they would say.
Mr Jackson was asked whether had forced the woman to engage in sexual activity.
“No. I wouldn’t do that,” said Mr Jackson. He later added: “She was enjoying it.”
Mr Olding insisted in his evidence he did not force the woman in any way.
“If I thought that [she had not consented], nothing would have happened. Nothing would have started and nothing would have continued,” he said.
The men had been in holiday mode that day.
They had flown from South Africa to Dublin and caught a bus to Belfast. Mr Olding dropped his luggage at his flat and he and his friends gathered at Blane McIlroy’s house about 4pm to watch a match.
They then moved to Cutter’s Wharf where they continued to drink and watched the England v Iceland European Championship soccer game.
Around 11pm, they got a taxi to Ollie’s nightclub, and after closing they returned to Paddy Jackson’s house to continue the party.
The amount of alcohol the men had to drink has come in for some scrutiny.
Stuart Olding had 23 drinks – eight cans of beer, four pints, two gin and tonics, five vodka and lemonades, three shots and a bottle of beer.
He agreed with his own lawyer that it sounded like a lot.
And accepted that when he headed to Mr Jackson’s house he was “pretty drunk”.
However, he stressed he was “still coherent” and “knew my whereabouts”.
His mood was good, he said.
“I was happy, enjoying myself, having a good time.”
Referring to the alcohol Mr Olding consumed, prosecution counsel Toby Hedworth QC put it that he’d had “a bit of a skinful”.
“Yes, over 12 hours and I had food.”
He put it Mr Olding: “If you had that amount of drink there’s a danger of disregarding the wishes or views of another person if they get in the way of what you want to achieve.”
Mr Olding replied: “I wouldn’t agree with that.”
Mr Hedworth said: “Like Paddy Jackson, you were not interested in what the young woman wanted to do or was prepared to do. She was just a vehicle for your own sexual desires that night.”
Mr Olding answered: “I wouldn’t put it that way.”
On the CCTV footage taken which showed Mr Jackson leaving the nightclub, Mr Hedworth said he had looked “half cut”. “Yeah, I think I look kind of dopey,” agreed Mr Jackson.
It was also suggested to Mr Jackson that being drunk or very drunk was not a defence to the charges he faced. “No,” he said.
“But being drunk is perhaps an explanation for the charges you face, is it not?” said Mr Hedworth.
“Em, sorry, what do you mean?” queried Mr Jackson.
When the men met for lunch in Soul Food later that day, Mr Hedworth said at least three of them had been drinking for “effectively 24 hours”.
“So whereas there might be hope amongst you and your friends that you had a consistent story together, not everyone remembered what they were supposed to be saying, did they?” Mr Hedworth put it to him sharply.
Mr Jackson disagreed.
‘Has the penny not dropped, Mr McIlroy? Even your own friends are suggesting you have the story wrong.’
“Because Mr McIlroy’s version of events does not sit at all with what you have told us and what you have told police, does it?” said the law yer.
“No,” said Mr Jackson, looking cool under pressure.
Blane McIlroy (inset far left) looked nervous as his cross examination began. Soon the questions started coming quick and fast at him.
Mr McIlroy was told by Mr Hedworth he “got the wrong lines”.
“No, I didn’t have any lines,” he said.
Mr Hedworth put it to him that he had told “Stuart Olding’s false version of events”: “Has the penny not dropped, Mr McIlroy? Even your own friends are suggesting you have the story wrong.”
Mr McIlroy replied: “No, I’ve told the truth from the word go.”
It was suggested he had “no real recollection” of what had happened that night.
He accepted he had been drinking to the same level as his friends and had at least 11 drinks, including six cans, two pints and a gin and tonic, rounds in the nightclub and a couple of shots.
Mr Hedworth put it to Mr McIlroy that he was interested in another woman, but she had turned him down,
Mr Hedworth said Mr McIlroy was aware Mr Jackson was upstairs with the student and he sent him a text asking him: “Is there a possibility of a threesome”.
“You weren’t getting it from the object of your affections so instead you tried to get it elsewhere,” Mr Hedworth said.
“So you sent Paddy Jackson a text asking if there was a possibility of a threesome.” Mr McIlroy replied: “Yeah, I said, is there a possibility.”
Mr Jackson didn’t reply to the text.
“You wanted to go up and join him in having sex with the alleged victim,” Mr Hedworth said.
“I was asking if this was a possibility.”
Mr McIlroy said he then went upstairs to go to bed.
He walked into Mr Jackson’s bedroom and saw him and the alleged victim lying naked on the bed.
“So you just sat down and joined in,” Mr Hedworth said, asking him whether he thought Paddy was “going to thump” him.
“No,” he said.
“You had just walked in on him and his partner for the night engaged in sexual activity,” he put to him.
“She didn’t seem to mind,” Mr McIlroy respond.
Mr Hedworth suggested Mr McIlroy’s account was “complete fantasy island”.
“No, it’s not,” he said.