Morning after pill was ‘to portray herself as victim’

PADDY Jackson’s defence barrister claimed the woman only took the morning-after pill in order to portray herself as a “classic rape victim”.

The then 19-year-old was prescribed the medication after an alleged attack by the Ulster Rugby player in his South Belfast home in June 2016.

Prosecutor Toby Hedworth QC had earlier asked a jury to consider why a woman would take the morning-after pill if she had not had sex. But Brendan Kelly QC for Jackson dismissed the claim, referring to her motivation as needing to present herself to friends as a victim.

He said: “If Mr Jackson had not had sex with her with his penis why would she go for the morning-after pill?

“She had to edit the account. The morning-after pill is not the slam dunk the prosecution say it is.”

He added the woman took the medication to persuade her friends she was concerned about the possibility of pregnancy after being raped.

Earlier in his closing statement Mr Kelly advised the jury the burden of proof had to be high to ensure the innocent are not convicted of crime.

He said: “A drunken consent is still consent. Regret has no bearing on consent. Bear that in mind when you try these counts. They are grave indeed. This case is critically flawed and has been so critically flawed since June 28, 2016. It is flawed by inconsistency and I do not balk from this, it is flawed by untruth, flawed...to its core.

“You’ve one question to answer – not, ‘I think’, or, ‘suspect so’, or even ‘I guess’, it’s, ‘I am sure’.

“You decide where the truth lies. Consistency is the hallmark of truth. Liars deviate.”

You decide where the truth lies. Consistency is hallmark of truth. Liars deviate BRENDAN KELLY QC LAGANSIDE COURT YESTERDAY