Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Rugby star in legal cost fight
PPS accused of ‘ineptitude’ in rape case
A FORMER Ulster rugby player lost the opportunity to play in his own country due to “ineptitude” by the Prosecution Service, a court was told yesterday.
Stuart Olding, 25, and his former teammate 26-year-old Paddy Jackson were found unanimously not guilty in March of raping a woman at a house party in June 2016.
Belfast Crown Court heard Mr Olding’s lawyer Frank O’donoghue make a case for the retrieval of his client’s legal costs on the basis the prosecution’s case had been “flawed”.
He was granted legal aid halfway through the 10-week trial.
Mr O’donoghue said his client had to “exhaust his own personal finances to access legal aid” and suffered “huge financial detriment”. He referred to the “enormity” of the decision of the PPS to prosecute Mr Olding, someone who had a public profile and described the effect it had on his life. Mr O’donoghue told the court: “His reputation was destroyed to the point where he could not follow his profession in this country again.”
The IRFU and Ulster ended Mr Olding and Mr Jackson’s contracts in April. Mr Olding is currently playing for Brive in the second tier of French rugby. Mr O’donoghue said his client has had to leave his family and friends and start again.
The hearing was held in front of Judge Patricia Smyth, who oversaw the trial.
The hearing is set to resume on October 26 when counsel for the PPS will respond.