So what becomes of the Ulster rugby players now?

[Yeaididthat]

Not guilty. So will they be back on the pitch or are their lives blighted forever by this?

Jesus Christ. They can get away with anything

Hopefully their lives are blighted forever, but I doubt it

Probably business as usual for them. Disgraceful.

Unbelievable
Presume everyone will rally round them and that woman will have to emigrate

Not Guilty, so they are free to get on with their lives, just as you or I would be if we had been acquitted of a criminal offence by a jury of our peers.

I'm not a rugby fan but imo it would be a terrible reflection on ulster rugby to allow men like that back in the team. Maybe not guilty of rape but their behaviour that they admitted to was appalling and certainly not in keeping with the family friendly image ulster rugby and Irish rugby tries to send out. Having said that Paddy Jackson was still selected after he thought blacking up was a quare aul laugh, and I thought that should have been enough in this day and age to not get called up again. But what do I know.

Completely expected this decision.

It was 100% evident that some combination of at least 3 of the 4 men were lying, we don't which one, and we don't know what they were lying about, but we know they are not telling the truth.

But because we don't know what they are lying about, they can't be convicted.

The criminal justice system DOES NOT WORK for rape. I don't know how to fix it.

I am so sorry for the victim in this. What an awful ordeal this trial was for her, for nothing. They were never going to get convicted.

The jury returned unanimous verdicts of Not Guilty of all charges for all 4 defendants after just 3h45 mins of deliberations. Draw your own conclusions.

What does that mean Bonnie

It’s a very, very short period of deliberation after an 8 week trial in which 30 witnesses gave evidence, and it strongly suggests that the jury

No surprise really - in NI it's very difficult to get a rape or sexual assault case even to court never mind a guilty verdict. Attitudes are prehistoric where women are concerned.

They've been found not guilty so nothing else to be done really.

...contd.. did not believe there was sufficiently strong evidence to convict “beyond reasonable doubt”.

I'm on the other thread talking about this too.

I hope the Ulster and Irish Rugby Unions drop them; they may not have been convicted but how anyone could employ someone who speaks about women the way they have - and there is no doubt about their attitudes, they didn't contest the contents of the messages - is beyond me.

They are totally unsuitable to do a job that by definition involves being a role model for children and young people.

No employer should put a person in the public eye who thinks as these men do.

Bonnie, the judge's instructions were that the jury could only convict if they were sure the men knew the woman didn't consent - that is the law, it seems.

And obviously they didn't think she didn't consent. It never occurred to them than anyone would refuse them anything. They didn't then, and they don't now, and they never will believe they were guilty of anything.

It's obvious from their messages that they think a woman is just there for their pleasure, to do what they want with. They didn't seek consent, they presumed it, and they presumed she'd be ok with whatever they did.

It's weird really. Because if they presumed she'd be ok with them stealing her purse and just did it, they'd be convicted. No-one would say to her "why didn't you convince them that you didn't want them to steal it".

Rape law needs to be seriously altered.

I'm seriously disappointed for her.
Such a brave young woman.
Regardless of the outcome, she can hold her head high for having had the strength to go through all of that.

That poor girl, I hope she has lots of support, she is going to need it, what she went through on the stand was just sickening.

That being said, I think the jury would have had a much more difficult deliberation, if there was no independent witness who walked into the bedroom while it was happening. I just don't know how they could have possibly found them guilty with her evidence.

Totally agree with your post Maryz.

@Maryz I can't find other thread can you link or pinpoint me.

Does this poor girl get to keep her anonymity?

I think everyone is this case lost today, along with all rape victims.

Anonymity is no use to her , everyone knows who she is. But in my opinion she should be proud of herself, she did very well despite being treated appallingly.

this is the other thread

@Maryz I don't know who she is I'm guessing people known to her will and known to the defendants. However, I feel that lots of information may start to be spread now about her which is not fair. I've already heard one story that's been through my husbands works

Sorry, I mean anyone near her; her friends gave evidence and were named, so everyone any way local knows.

My dd is the same age and knows her name, where she comes from, what she does etc etc, even though we don't live in the same country.

There is no anonymity on social media.

@Maryz maybe if I dug on social media I would be able to find out (which I won't) but if she is reading this I am local and have no idea who she is

That's good confuddled.

I suppose things get around among the younger people on social media; information is posted, shared, and swiftly deleted, but I suspect proper anonymity won't be possible for her.

I do hope she is ok

At one stage pictures of one of the witnesses were sent around purporting to be the victim.

I do hope that the girl will not be named and she gets the support she needs.

On a separate matter I think it is a pity that NI law is different to ROI law in relation to the accused being named before trial.
In Ireland the accused are only named on conviction.

I am appalled by the attitude those men displayed towards women and would be ashamed if they were my sons.
I do hope my daughters meet nicer men.