Rugby Rape trial: Timeline of events
- Published
Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Blane McIlroy and Rory Harrison denied all charges against them
The case against Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding has reached its conclusion after nine weeks.
Timeline of events
Monday 27 June, 2016
16:30 BST - Paddy Jackson, Stuart Olding, Blane McIlroy and Rory Harrison meet up at Blane McIlroy's house in south Belfast to watch football.
The men went to the VIP area in Ollie's nightclub in Belfast city centre
19:00 BST - They go to Cutter's Wharf pub
23:00 BST - They go to VIP area in Ollie's nightclub in the city centre. The Northern Ireland football team is also there.
Tuesday 28 June, 2016
02:30 BST - they go back to Paddy Jackson's house in two taxis with four young women, including the 19-year-old woman at the centre of the case.
03:04 BST - the woman texts a friend. It reads: "Am back at Paddy Jackson's."
04:27 BST - Inside the house, Blane McIlroy texts Paddy Jackson. It reads: "Is there a possibility of a threesome?"
05:00 BST - The woman shares a taxi home with Rory Harrison. She is upset.
09:51 BST - The woman at the centre of the case texts a friend "worse night ever, so I got raped."
Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding have both been capped for Ireland
10:08 BST - She texts another friend saying she'd been raped by "Ulster rugby scum."
12:04 BST - Rory Harrison texts her. It reads: "Feeling better today?"
13:10 BST - She texts back: "I know you must be mates with those guys, but I didn't like them. And what happened was not consensual which is why I was so upset".
14:00 BST - She goes to the Brook Clinic, a sexual health centre in Belfast
19:00 BST - She goes to The Rowan, Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Antrim
Wednesday 29 June
09:47 BST - She contacts the police for the first time, by ringing 101
Thursday 30 June
10:45 BST - Police conduct first detailed interview with woman
Afternoon - Police contact Ulster rugby. Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding told to go to Musgrave police station where they are arrested. Police take a witness statement from Rory Harrison.
Evening - Blane McIlroy arrested.
Friday 1 July
Police took statements from Dara Florence, who appeared in the witness box during the trial
Police take a witness statement from Dara Florence, a woman who briefly went into Paddy Jackson's bedroom on the night in question.
She said she did not think it looked like a rape.
Tuesday 4 October
Police interview Rory Harrison as a suspect not a witness. Police re-interview Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding.
Tuesday 25 July, 2017
The Public Prosecution Service says there is "sufficient evidence to prosecute four individuals".
Wednesday 15 November
Paddy Jackson appears in court and pleads "not guilty" to charges of rape and sexual assault.
Blane McIlroy denies a charge of exposure. Rory Harrison denies withholding information and perverting the course of justice.
Rory Harrison and Blane McIlroy also denied the charges against them
Friday 17 November
Stuart Olding appears in court. He pleads "not guilty" to two charges of rape.
Friday 22 December
One of the rape charges against Stuart Olding is dropped.
Monday 29 January, 2018
The trial begins.
Wednesday 28 March, 2018
All four defendants are found not guilty of all the charges against them.