Friend of Stuart Olding and Paddy Jackson tells rugby rape trial he deleted texts

A friend of the two Ulster rugby players accused of rape has admitted deleting text messages from his phone when he realised there was a police investigation.

Friend of Stuart Olding and Paddy Jackson tells rugby rape trial he deleted texts

Update 7.36pm: A friend of the two Ulster rugby players accused of rape has admitted deleting text messages from his phone when he realised there was a police investigation.

Blane McIlroy told the rugby rape trial on Friday that he "panicked" and thought the messages "didn't read well", so he deleted them before he handed his phone over to police.

"When the police phoned me, I panicked and thought they didn't read well. In hindsight I shouldn't have," he said.

The messages had been exchanged with friends, including one sent to Rory Harrison, who is accused of perverting the course of justice.

One of the messages was sent to Harrison after he dropped the alleged victim home in a taxi.

The court previously heard the woman had been upset on the journey home.

The message from McIlroy to Harrison read: "Really? f**k sake. Did you calm her? Where did she live?"

McIlroy said he was not worried about the messages, but he thought they might be read in the wrong way by police.

The court heard he handed his phone into police when he went to be interviewed as part of their investigation into the woman's allegations of rape.

The 26 year-old also told the court that he did not feel good about other messages he had sent to friends with references to sexual activity.

"(It was) boasting about something that didn't happen to that extent. It was silly boasting. I don't feel good about it," he said.

Referring to a photograph of himself with three women that he sent to some friends in a Whatsapp group with the message "Love Belfast sluts", McIlroy said: "It is not a true reflection of the girls, and I'm not happy with it."

6.10pm: Blane McIlroy denies giving Stuart Olding's version of events as his own version

A close friend of Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding has been accused of inventing a "preposterous" version of events after the sports stars were arrested for rape.

Blane McIlroy told the rugby rape trial at Belfast Crown Court today that the alleged victim willingly performed sex acts on him while she lay in bed with Jackson.

However, prosecution barrister Toby Hedworth QC said these claims were "preposterous" and "complete fantasy island."

McIlroy, 26, of Royal Lodge Road, Belfast, is charged with one count of exposure.

He took to the stand today to give evidence in his own defence at the high-profile trial.

McIlroy denied his version of events was "fantasy".

"Can I make it clear this is complete fantasy island on your behalf isn't it?" Mr Hedworth asked him.

"No it's not," McIlroy responded.

Mr Hedworth put to him: "This is you attempting to give a version to police after your friends have been arrested in respect of a serious sexual offence and you then find yourself arrested.

"You give what you think is meant to be your version of events."

He added: "Instead, you gave Stuart Olding's version of events."

Olding previously told the court that he had walked in on Jackson and the woman and that she had performed a sex act on him.

"You never engaged in sexual activity. There never was sexual activity involving you but you thought your job was to give this version which was hatched up," Mr Hedworth put to McIlroy.

The barrister continued: "You have delivered the wrong lines. You have put yourself there rather than Stuart Olding. "

McIlroy responded: "No I told the police everything. The truth."

The trial is due to continue on Saturday morning.

3pm: Rugby rape trial: Blane McIlroy denies forcing himself on alleged victim

A close friend of Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding has denied forcing himself on a woman who claimed she was raped by the sport stars.

Blane McIlroy told Belfast Crown Court that the woman had smiled at him when he walked in on her and Jackson in bed together.

The 26-year-old, of Royal Lodge Road, Belfast, who is charged with one count of exposure, was giving evidence in his own defence at the high-profile trial on Friday.

He is on trial alongside Jackson and Olding who are both charged with raping the same woman following a night out in Belfast on June 28 2016.

He told the court that during a party in Jackson's house he went upstairs and found his friend in bed with the alleged victim.

"I went up and opened the door of Mr Jackson's room. I was fully clothed.

"I saw Paddy and (the woman) lying on the bed naked. I said 'Oh sorry' and then I went in," McIlroy told the court.

He added: "I said 'What have you two been up to tonight?' and she smiled.

"I sat down on the bed beside (her). She turned towards me and me and her were talking and we started kissing."

He was asked by his defence barrister Arthur Harvey QC if there had been any reluctance on the woman's part.

He replied: "No".

When asked if the kissing was mutual he replied "yes."

Mr Harvey then asked him: "Did you force yourself on her?"

He replied: "Not at all."

When asked if the woman had said "no" or "stop" McIlroy replied: "Never. No."

He told the court that the woman then put her hand down the waistband of his boxer shorts and performed a sex act on him.

McIlroy said he then left the room to find a condom and when he came back the woman was at the foot of bed getting dressed and Jackson was lying in the bed.

"I said I couldn't find a condom. She said 'it's fine. It's late.' She said 'I don't usually have one night stands'," McIlroy said.

He claimed that the woman continued to get dressed and then she went downstairs and left in a taxi with co-accused Rory Harrison.

McIlroy said the alleged victim was not upset when she left the house.

When asked what his reaction had been when he found out Jackson and Olding had been arrested, he said: "I was shocked. I knew they had been out the night before. I just wanted to make sure they had a solicitor or someone to advise them. I was just in shock."

McIlroy denied that his version of what happened with the alleged victim was "preposterous".

Prosecution lawyer Toby Hedworth QC put to him: "Do you have any idea how preposterous your account of all this is?"

McIlroy replied: "I went to the police and told them the truth."

Mr Hedworth accused him of making up "false stories", adding: "Has the penny not dropped? Even your own friends are suggesting you have the story wrong."

McIlroy replied:

"No, I've told the truth from the word go."

The prosecution said that McIlroy was charged with exposure and not rape and that had the alleged victim wanted to cause him harm she would have claimed he made her perform a sex act on him.

"If she wanted to cause you harm and had been involved in sexual activity with you she would simply have to say she was made to do things sexually," said Mr Hedworth.

He added: "She says you emerged in the door holding your penis wanting your slice of the action."

McIlroy said: "That never happened."

Jackson, 26, from Oakleigh Park in Belfast, and Olding, 24, from Ardenlee Street in the city, deny raping the woman.

Another man, Rory Harrison, 25, of Manse Road, Belfast, is charged with perverting the course of justice and withholding information. He denies the charge.

Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding
Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding

Earlier: Blane McIlroy regrets 'stupid' texts but denies concocting story with friends

Blane McIlory is giving evidence in defence of an allegation he exposed himself to a woman who claims she was raped by Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding.

The Ireland and Ulster rugby players deny raping the 19-year-old student at a party in Jackson’s south Belfast home in June 2016.

Mr. McIlroy from Royal Lodge Road in Belfast denies her claim that he walked into Mr. Jackson’s bedroom "completely naked".

Blane McIlroy
Blane McIlroy

The woman claims Blane McIlroy from Royal Lodge Rd walked into Paddy Jackson’s bedroom after she’d been raped by Mr. Jackson and Stuart Olding

She told the court during her evidence a few weeks ago that he was completely naked and asked her why she wouldn’t have sex with him too as she left.

He has denied her version of events, however, and told the jury today he was fully dressed when he walked in.

He said he started kissing the girl when he went over to the bed and she showed no reluctance.

He said she put her hand inside his boxer shorts and he also claims performed oral sex on him.

He denied trying to block her exit as she left the room.

Mr McIlroy described a text sent to some friends later that day as “stupid and idiotic” and he said he wasn't proud of it when he read it back.

He said the woman wasn't in hysterics when she left the house and he denied a suggestion that he and his friends concocted a lying account of what happened.

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