Woman ‘tried to pull’ several members of Jackson and Olding’s group

A friend of Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding told police a woman the Ireland and Ulster rugby players are alleged to have raped was "trying to pull" numerous members of their group that night.

The court also heard that two of the group were in contact about the fact that the rugby players had been approached by police as a woman from the night in question “might have cried rape”.

In his police interviews on June 30th, 2016, two days after the alleged rape, Blane McIlroy was asked if he was “jealous” that Mr Jackson had seemingly just had sex with the complainant when he entered the bedroom.

Mr McIlroy replied that he was not and said the woman had tried to kiss him earlier in the night but he declined.

In a subsequent interview he told police “it was obvious she was trying to pull or kiss numerous members of the group. Paddy’s the one who ended up going upstairs with her.”

He said he wasn’t interested in kissing her as he was interested in another girl.

Mr McIlroy is charged with a single count of exposing himself to the complainant. She told police he entered the room after the alleged rape, thrust his penis at her and said: “You f***ed these guys. Why not me?”

The jury also heard details of an interview conducted four months later on October 4th, 2016, in which Mr McIlroy was asked if he deleted a text message he sent that night to Mr Jackson “asking about the possibility of a threesome”.

He admitted he deleted the message and in a “panic” after the police called him in for interview on June 30th.

‘Cried rape’

Mr McIlroy also told police he received a call from his friend Rory Harrison on June 30th, 2016, telling him Mr Jackson and Mr Olding had been called in for questioning because a "girl from Monday night might have cried rape".

Earlier on Tuesday, the jury heard Mr McIlroy had told police the complainant performed oral sex on him on the night in question.

He said she kissed him, masturbated him and performed oral sex on him as she was naked in the bed beside Mr Jackson. He said she did not appear distressed or in any discomfort. Mr Jackson had earlier told police Mr McIlroy did not enter the room while he was present.

Mr Jackson (26), of Oakleigh Park, Belfast has pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault in the early hours of June 28th, 2016 at a party in his house. Mr Olding (24), of Ardenlee Street, Belfast, denies one count of rape on the same occasion. Both men contend the activity was consensual.

Mr McIlroy (26), of Royal Lodge Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast, has pleaded not guilty to one count of exposure while Mr Harrison (25), from Manse Road, Belfast, pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice and withholding information relating to the incident.

Tequila shots

Mr McIlroy told PSNI detectives he was in Ollie’s nightclub with the three other accused. They were having a few rounds of drinks before they did tequila shots.

He said this caused him to go to the bathroom and throw up as he cannot handle tequila. They left the club shortly afterwards and were talking to some women outside who wanted to go to a nightclub where the Northern Ireland football team were going.

He said the women ended up sharing taxis with the accused back to Mr Jackson’s house where they were all “dancing around, having fun.”

Sometime after 3am he saw Mr Jackson and a woman go upstairs “to his room, I presume.” Mr Olding went upstairs shortly afterwards with another woman, he told police.

At the time he was “chatting to one girl called Dara, trying to get friendly with her.” This girl left with her friends shortly afterwards as they had to be up early, he said.

Mr McIlroy said he went upstairs to sleep in Mr Jackson’s room as he had a large bed.

When he opened the bedroom door he saw Mr Jackson and a woman both lying naked on the bed, he said. The woman made no effort to cover herself up and Mr Jackson told him to “come in for the chat.”

Mr McIlroy said he sat on the bed and asked them about their night. The woman seemed “fine” and showed no signs of distress, he said.

‘Seemed fine’

Mr McIlroy and the woman kissed and she put her hand on his waistband, he told police. He said he took his trousers down and she started masturbating him. While this happened Mr Jackson “was still fooling around with her. She seemed fine.”

He said she then performed oral sex on him for a few seconds, adding “I think Paddy was going to have sex with her again.”

He said the woman said something like “you’ve no condoms” so he went downstairs to ask Mr Harrison if he had any.

When Mr McIlroy returned to the room the woman was getting dressed, he said. He said she told them: “This isn’t like me, I usually don’t do one night stands”.

Mr McIlroy added: “She seemed fine and wasn’t crying or distressed or upset about it”.

He said she got in a taxi with Mr Harrison who dropped her home.

The trial continues before Judge Patricia Smyth and a jury of eight men and three woman. One juror was discharged earlier due to illness.