By Dylan O'Sullivan-
The rape trial of Ireland rugby stars resumed today after a juror was taken ill on Monday. The judge told jurors the court is on track to finish the case at the scheduled time.
The judge opened proceedings by confirming receipt of a medical report in respect of tone of the jurors who was ill , adding that ”as a result of the content, I have spoken with him and discharged him from any further involvement in the trial.”
The high-profile sensational trial at Langanside Crown Court continued to hear audio recordings of police interviews with Olding, 24, from Ardenlee Street in Belfast, who denies one count of rape.
The court heard responses given by Olding when he was questioned by detectives at Musgrave PSNI station about the alleged incident in June 2016.
Olding denies raping the woman. 26-year-old Jackson from Oakleigh Park also denies raping the same woman and a further charge of sexual assault.
RECOLLECTION
The court also heard how Ireland and rugby player Stuart Olding, accused of raping a Belfast student, denied having any recollection of the alleged victim saying “no, please no, not him too” when he entered a bedroom in Paddy Jackson’s house during a party.
Instead, he told police the woman invited him over by holding her hand out and then performed oral sex on him for five minutes before he left the room and went to sleep elsewhere.
Olding said “Paddy Jackson was sitting on the bed just watching her give me oral sex,” Mr. Olding said.
Two other men charged in connection with the alleged incident also deny the charges against them.
During the police interviews on June 30, 2016 – two days after the alleged rape – Olding denied having intercourse with the complainant.
He said:
“I didn’t penetrate her vagina with my penis at any point.”
He also told detectives from the PSNI’s rape crime unit that he did not see Jackson penetrate the woman.
“I didn’t see that,” he said.
During further questioning, Olding added:
“I didn’t see Paddy penetrating her from behind. He was behind her but I didn’t see him penetrating her.”
The court also heard that Olding told police Jackson was “sitting on the bed” watching the woman “give” him oral sex.
Olding rejected allegations that he had forced the complainant to perform oral sex by putting pressure on the back of her head.
When asked by police what made him believe she was consenting, Olding answered: “She was doing it. I wasn’t forcing her.”
Denying applying pressure to the complainant’s head, Stuart Olding further stated her hand had been on his penis during the sex act and that she had been “above” him.
Earlier in the taped police interviews, Olding was asked if there had been any discussion the morning after the alleged attack between himself and Jackson about what went on in the bedroom.
He said:
“Yes. We just talked about what happened. We were pretty hungover. We were drunk whenever it was happening.”
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.
Blane McIlroy (26), of Royal Lodge Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast, has pleaded not guilty to one count of exposure while Rory Harrison (25), from Manse Road, Belfast, pleaded not guilty to perverting the course of justice and withholding information relating to the incident.
During an interview on June 30th, 2016, two days after the alleged rape, Mr Olding said he had never met or seen the complainant before that night. He earlier said he had walked into Mr Jackson’s bedroom to see her straddling and kissing Mr Jackson.