Jackson warns critics after trial:‘I’ll sue you’
Online posts and protest comments being studied Rugby star’s lawyers warn over further libel actions
RUGBY player Paddy Jackson is planning to sue more people who he believes have defamed him on social media and at protest marches.
In the wake of the not guilty verdicts in the Ulster rugby rape trial, legal representatives for the player say they are “monitoring everything” including “social media commentary, WhatsApp, Google searches”. This also includes protest marches held around the country.
“We are setting down a marker,” Mr Jackson’s solicitor in Belfast said. “We won’t hesitate to issue proceedings.” Lawyers for Mr Jackson initiated High Court proceedings on his behalf against Labour Senator Aodhán Ó Riordáin over a Twitter post in the wake of the unanimous acquittal earlier this week.
In his tweet, the politician referred to “smug, well-connected middle-class boys.”
The comment was later removed.
RUGBY player Paddy Jackson has instructed his lawyers to issue legal proceedings against any individuals who may have defamed him on social media or at protest marches in Dublin, Cork and Belfast.
Legal representatives for the Ulster player told the Irish Independent they were now “monitoring everything”, including “social media commentary, WhatsApp, Google searches” and “the protests that have taken place in Cork, Belfast and Dublin”.
The comments came after it emerged that Labour Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin faces High Court defamation proceedings by Mr Jackson’s legal team over a Twitter post that was published immediately after all four defendants had been unanimously acquitted of all charges at the nine-week Belfast rape trial.
“We are setting down a marker,” Mr Jackson’s Belfast-based solicitor warned. “We won’t hesitate to issue proceedings.
“Already, we see material that is highly defamatory of Mr Jackson and we are examining it now over the next few days.”
Mr Jackson’s legal team has vowed to pursue anyone who uses social media or even public protests to attack their client.
In dramatic legal developments after the trial, two people have also been questioned in Northern Ireland for allegedly revealing the identity of the then 19-year-old complainant.
Furthermore, a purported juror, who posted an online comment about the verdict, could now face arrest and a contempt of court charge.
Lawyers for Mr Jackson’s Irish international team-mate, Stuart Olding, did not publicly comment on their client’s position in respect of defamation actions.
Mr Olding’s solicitor is now expected to discuss the matter with him next week.
“Everybody on social media saw themselves as a reporter and a social commentator.
“The comments, the posting by people who knew nothing about the case other than what they read in snippets and social media – I have never seen anything quite like it,” Mr Olding’s solicitor told this newspaper.
The legal teams for all four acquitted men are now carefully monitoring the avalanche of social media commentary in respect of the case.
Pointedly, Mr Jackson’s solicitors firm warned it would not
hesitate to issue proceedings over all social media commentary, public protests and even Google searches in respect of its client, the Ulster rugby player.
In his tweet, the Labour senator had referred to “smug, well-connected middle-class boys”. The comment on Twitter was subsequently removed.
Senator Ó Ríordáin did not comment yesterday on the legal action now being prepared against him.
Labour Party leader Brendan Howlin said the senator “instantly regretted” the message.
“He put his hands up, made a mistake, it shouldn’t have happened. We can’t have a sort of a parallel system, where my view is as important or valid as the views determined in the court of law, where all the evidence and where the laws is explained in great detail,” he said on Independent.ie’s podcast ‘The Floating Voter’.
Legal experts predicted if the action goes to full High Court hearing, it will represent a landmark in Irish defamation law, given its involvement of a social media platform.
Mr Jackson’s solicitors warned the trial process had to be protected and respected.
“We either buy into the judicial system and the jury system or we don’t,” the solicitor said.
“This is practically saying, ‘Never mind the court result, never mind the jury’s verdict. We are going to go off and do our own thing because we don’t like what the jury has decided.’
“People are entitled not to be happy, but they do not have a licence or a mandate to go on and express their views left, right and centre where it is clearly derogatory and defamatory of a person who has been acquitted.”
A notice of intention to sue Mr Ó Ríordáin for allegedly defamatory comments has now been issued.
Mr Jackson’s solicitors confirmed the pre-action libel correspondence involves a tweet sent by a named politician to a number of people before being removed.