Paddy Jackson & Stuart Olding Face Rape Charges

[Hanley!]

So should they be found innocent, what do people think should happen in regards to the complainant? I know that nothing will happen to her but I am of the opinion that those who falsely accuse people should face some punishment themselves. In this case, even if found innocent, as people have pointed out it’s likely to ruin the careers of Olding and Jackson in Ireland, entirely unfairly if innocent. Obviously it is a risky business as people can be found innocent and still have committed the crime, just due to a lack of evidence, so for me it’s a case of where the line is drawn as it could potentially put off women who have legitimately been assaulted for fear of being persecuted. But something does have to be done, it’s effectively slander with no repurcussions.

Nothing should happen to the complainant. That's a really slippery slope, and a dangerous concept. Criminal lawsuits require the defendant to be guilty beyond reasonable doubt, or the defendant should not be convicted. The reason that the 'beyond reasonable doubt' rule is applied, is to make sure that innocent people are not wrongly punished. Surely the accuser deserves the same rights as the accused here. If there is insufficient proof that Olding and Jackson did rape this woman to result in a conviction, it's still a big jump to say that she made it up and deserves to be punished. That sort of system would lead to far more innocent parties being targeted.

The standards are the same for a false accusation as they are for any other crime. If there is proof that she's guilty of it, then she should be punished. If there's not then she shouldn't be. It's not the most elegant system, but it's the best one we've got.

I would hesitate to say that there will be no repercussions for the accuser here also. This trial will have been an ordeal, I'm sure she's been ostracized by many in her community, and who knows what impact this could have on her life going forwards. Now if she did make the whole thing up, then I wouldn't have much sympathy for her. But I just think some people make it out to be an easy thing to falsely accuse someone of rape, while it's anything but. False accusations do happen, but they're the outlier and not the norm.

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

I don't think anything should happen to the complainant should the accused be found innocent. She genuinely believes she was raped. The accused genuinely believe they're innocent of the allegation. I'm going to hold my thoughts on the outcome of the case because I haven't been following it intently.

What should change is that the accused are no longer named publicly unless convicted in any rape, murder or manslaughter trial. Their reputations have been damaged even if found innocent. That's terribly unfair.

 

[big ginger 8]

Just a small thing, but the two possible verdicts are guilty or not guilty. There is no verdict of innocence it might sound like there is no difference between innocent and not guilty, but there is. Just to be the legal pedant.

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

All 4 defendants found not guilty by the Jury on all charges

 

[Groundhog]

Barton down the hatches and get ready for the **** storm. Hope and assume the right decision was reached. Rugby is going to be under a very unfavourable light for the time being regardless.

 

[curtbob7]

Jury was unanimous too. Hopefully this is the right outcome and the players can resume their careers and lives as close to normal as possible.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

No surprise, prosecution had no case really. The girl changed her story more than once.

 

[Thingimubob]

Hugely disappointed with this verdict. Evidence was damning, the girl had literal internal injuries... I mean if I remember right Jackson's story started off with him saying that nothing sexual happened? Which then changed to saying it was "just oral" later on?Which stinks to me.

They had the money and the defense did a hell of a job in spinning things, doesn't redeem them in the slightest in my eyes and I won't ever cheer them on if they play for Ulster / Ireland again.

Also - NOTHING should ever happen to the girl. She (very rightly considering her injuries and the evidence) was upset, traumatized and genuinely believed she was raped. This verdict will already put off reporting rape by anyone high profile already, so repercussions would basically make it completely socially impossible to come forward.

I just hope we don't see a repeat of the Ched case where her identity is shared with the group no doubt baying for her blood already...

 

[UlsterRugby2012]

Baffles me how people can say they’re “disappointed” by the verdict. That just shows you have a clear bias & had it in your mind what it should be from the get go.

All 11 Jurors found them not guilty within 3 hours 45 minutes. That’s pretty damn conclusive. There’s no way on earth there was enough evidence to convict them all of rape.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think they’ll play for Ulster again. Make of that what you will.

 

[curtbob7]

Hugely disappointed with this verdict. Evidence was damning, the girl had literal internal injuries... I mean if I remember right Jackson's story started off with him saying that nothing sexual happened? Which then changed to saying it was "just oral" later on?Which stinks to me.

They had the money and the defense did a hell of a job in spinning things, doesn't redeem them in the slightest in my eyes and I won't ever cheer them on if they play for Ulster / Ireland again.

Also - NOTHING should ever happen to the girl. She (very rightly considering her injuries and the evidence) was upset, traumatized and genuinely believed she was raped. This verdict will already put off reporting rape by anyone high profile already, so repercussions would basically make it completely socially impossible to come forward.

I just hope we don't see a repeat of the Ched case where her identity is shared with the group no doubt baying for her blood already...

Without sounding offensive, this doesn't really mean a lot.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Hugely disappointed with this verdict. Evidence was damning, the girl had literal internal injuries... I mean if I remember right Jackson's story started off with him saying that nothing sexual happened? Which then changed to saying it was "just oral" later on?Which stinks to me.

They had the money and the defense did a hell of a job in spinning things, doesn't redeem them in the slightest in my eyes and I won't ever cheer them on if they play for Ulster / Ireland again.

Also - NOTHING should ever happen to the girl. She (very rightly considering her injuries and the evidence) was upset, traumatized and genuinely believed she was raped. This verdict will already put off reporting rape by anyone high profile already, so repercussions would basically make it completely socially impossible to come forward.

I just hope we don't see a repeat of the Ched case where her identity is shared with the group no doubt baying for her blood already...

Injuries which a doctor said weren't evidence of rape. The girl also changed her allegations against Olding from rape to oral rape a matter of months before the trial. Her story was inconsistent as anyone else's in the trial, it was absolutely the correct verdict.

Her identity won't be released, that's illegal. Regardless of whether they deserve it, those texts were disgusting and I have little respect for them personally, Jackson's and Olding's lives will be altered for the worse on the back of a conclusive not guilty verdict, their names should never have been released. The case has been an indictment on Northern Ireland law which mirrors that of England and Wales.

 

[Groundhog]

This case was a complete circus and the media coverage was a complete joke too.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

All 4 defendants found not guilty by the Jury on all charges

Between them, there were something like 7 charges. Not guilty on all makes you wonder about the decision to prosecute.

They're free men, but professionally and personally stained by this forever. Illegal seemingly not, sordid without question. There will always be people reminding them of it.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

Rory best and Ian Henderson show they did the right thing going

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

All eyes on Ulster now who are already going through a **** show all around.

 

[Not Mike Brown's Sock]

All eyes on Ulster now who are already going through a **** show all around.

IMO, Ulster should give them a press conference saying they are moving forward, before giving the two a game ASAP as a show of support.

The way the courts work, we must no accept that they DID NOT DO IT and move forward accordingly.

 

[Thingimubob]

Without sounding offensive, this doesn't really mean a lot.

From what I read a medical professional said something along the lines of that the injury of that type is usually caused by a man having sex with an unfamiliar partner, and essentially thrusting too forcefully at a funny angle... Though according to Paddy / Olding they never had full on sex...

Genuinely though, I've seen a lot of people going after her story for being inconsistent (which quite frankly is understandable considering the brain had a habit of muddling traumatic events up), but brushing off the fact that the defence was just as inconsistent and straight up misleading from the get go.

Baffles me how people can say they’re “disappointed” by the verdict. That just shows you have a clear bias & had it in your mind what it should be from the get go.

All 11 Jurors found them not guilty within 3 hours 45 minutes. That’s pretty damn conclusive. There’s no way on earth there was enough evidence to convict them all of rape.

For what it’s worth, I don’t think they’ll play for Ulster again. Make of that what you will.

And there's no clear bias coming the other way? I mean the terrifying fanaticism from some of Ched Evan's supporters shows that cases like this seem to mostly have bias towards to male big name sport star.

We've seen it before and no doubt we'll it again.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

**** me Twitter etc is a mess some people seemed desperate for it to be guilty.

 

[curtbob7]

Yep, no doubt Lily Allen has or will have something to say.

 

[Thingimubob]

Injuries which a doctor said weren't evidence of rape. The girl also changed her allegations against Olding from rape to oral rape a matter of months before the trial. Her story was inconsistent as anyone else's in the trial, it was absolutely the correct verdict.

Her identity won't be released, that's illegal. Regardless of whether they deserve it, those texts were disgusting and I have little respect for them personally, Jackson's and Olding's lives will be altered for the worse on the back of a conclusive not guilty verdict, their names should never have been released. The case has been an indictment on Northern Ireland law which mirrors that of England and Wales.

Doctor brought in by the defence which contradicted other medical professionals - obviously they're not gonna back the prosecution. I can;t help but think this is a case of a hell of a legal team doing its job rather than the "correct" verdict being found...

I know it's illegal, but that didn't stop Ched's supporters finding out the accusers name and ruining her life to the point she had to change identity and relocate at least once - that's more what I meant when I hope her name isn't released.