Jury at rape trial told rugby stars ‘knew sexual activity was not consensual’

Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding knew that sexual activity with their alleged victim was not consensual, the jury in their rape trial was told.

But the two rugby stars “carried on regardless, for their own sexual gratification”, prosecution barrister Toby Hedworth QC said.

Summing up the prosecution case at Belfast Crown Court on Thursday, Mr Hedworth referred to each of the defendants individually.

Turning to Jackson (pictured, left), he said that having already been told by the woman she was not interested in going further “he forced himself on her, raped her from behind before Mr Olding came in and raped her after Mr Olding came in”.

The lawyer added that Jackson then continued to perform a sex act on the woman.

Mr Hedworth told the jury that Olding (pictured, right)  was “someone who, you will recall, (the woman) hadn’t even spoken a word to. A person who (when) she said, ‘no please, not him too’, joined in sexually assaulting her.”

He added: “They knew full well she did not (consent). They carried on regardless for their own sexual gratification.”

Turning to Blane McIlroy, Mr Hedworth said that having been knocked back by another woman at the party, he asked Jackson by text if there was a chance of a threesome.

“Mr Jackson was too busy with his own activity to reply,” he said.

Mr Hedworth told the court McIlroy went up to Jackson’s bedroom and, as he went through the door, it was “the straw that broke the camel’s back” for the alleged victim.

“Mr McIlroy never gets beyond exposing himself,” said Mr Hedworth.

Referring to Rory Harrison, who shared a taxi home with the woman after the attack, Mr Hedworth said he was “the gallant hero of the hour but his apparent concerns for (the woman) were merely weasel words”.

He said Harrison was a “heartless young man who found the whole thing so amusing”.

Mr Hedworth told the court that Harrison deliberately failed to tell police what had happened.

He said Harrison also deliberately misrepresented the woman’s conduct at the party by claiming she was “fixated” on Jackson.

“He guesses what had happened was rape, yet still he said nothing,” added the lawyer.

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