IRELAND and Ulster rugby player Paddy Jackson was ‘shocked and horrified’ by allegations he raped a woman in his home, a court has been told today.
When interviewed by police two days after the alleged rape in south Belfast, Mr Jackson stated: ‘I didn’t rape her. I strenuously deny these allegations. I am shocked and horrified that these allegations have been made against me."
Mr Jackson, 26, and his friend Stuart Olding, 24, are charged with raping the same woman on June 28, 2016 – while Mr Jackson faces a further charge of sexual assault.
Their friends Blane McIlroy, 26, and Rory Harrison, 25, are charged with single counts of exposure and perverting the course of justice respectively.
All four strenuously deny the allegations.
Mr Jackson said the alleged victim, who was 19 at the time, had twice followed him to his bedroom and had been flirting with him.
He said the sexual activity was consensual and that no intercourse took place. He said she could have left the room at any time.
He claims the woman instigated oral sex on him and that she “was being quite forward” with him.
"If she didn't want to be there, I would never have stopped her, or tried to keep her there. No way,” he said when interviewed by police at Musgrave Park PSNI station in Belfast.
He said the woman, who he had not meet before, seemed fine during the sexual activity with him and Stuart Olding.
‘I didn't force myself on her," he said. "She didn't have to stay, she could have left if she wanted to, but she didn't."
He claims that while she was performing oral sex on Mr Olding he started “using my hands on her.”
“I was using my hands and she seemed to be enjoying it. Sorry. I just find it a bit awkward talking about it,” he told police.
He said the first time he and the alleged victim were in his bedroom they had kissed.
He said the woman asked him if he knew her name, which he did not, and they both returned downstairs.
He claims she then followed him upstairs for a second time, they started kissing again and she performed oral sex on him.
A short time later Mr Olding, 24, came into the bedroom and the woman also performed oral sex on him.
The alleged victim had gone back to Mr Jackson’s home with a group of others after a night out in Ollie’s nightclub in Belfast.
As the fourth week of the case closed, the jury was told by Judge Patricia Smyth to wait until they head all the evidence before coming to any final conclusion.
The trial continues at Belfast Crown Court.
