Thoughts on #suemepaddy ?

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Another very disturbing development post trial ...

"Ulster and Ireland rugby player Paddy Jackson has said he intends to sue Labour Senator Aodhán Ó Riordáin for defamation after the politician sent a tweet in the wake of the Belfast rape trial verdicts."

www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/paddy-jackson-s-lawyers-say-he-intends-to-sue-aodh%C3%A1n-%C3%B3-riord%C3%A1in-over-tweet-1.3445578

You'll easily find a copy of the original tweet that caused offense.... can't believe he'd do that. I'm thinking I should sign up for twitter and post with#suemepaddy

They need to be taken up on naming her.

One of the newspapers was fined a huge amount of money for naming the woman in the ched Evans case (they published a pixilated pic of her which was deemed enough to identify.) members of the public got fines and police cautions for naming, as they said they were not aware it was an offence.

Now joe public can use that as an excuse.. but... As the men in this case had been represented by lawyers, I don’t feel there is ANY way their lawyers could have left them ignorant of the law on this.

Are the police perusing this? A nice caution on file for them, and a whacking great fine should be an absolute minimum.

Poor, poor woman. So brave to bring this to court, and now bearing the consequences. It’s sickening.

The #suemepaddy tweets are excellent. It is my OPINION - I am not suggesting this is fact - (#suemepaddy) that he has a brain the size of a pea if he thinks that anything other than keeping his head down, his mouth shut and his face out of the papers is going to help him at this stage.

I hope he reads every one of the tweets and realises that normal reasonable people think he is a vile, vile person.

#SueMePaddy

A brain the size of a pea and an ego the size of a planet.

(Also just MY OPINION. #suemepaddy)

And this one.

Almost 14000 tweets under #suemepaddy now. Many of them are saying “come at me lad” and quoting the Streisand effect. Be interesting to see how this plays out.

I understand that the girl may want to protect her identity (although that ship has probably sailed) but she has an opportunity here. If she was to appear at one of the protest rallies the movement would shift from online into RL and stay there.

Lass

For those who remember Father Ted, this tweet made me crack up

"I hear you're a racist now Paddy?"

bore! That’s brilliant!

Imagine you're his mother. Imagine. I have two adult sons and it makes me feel sick to think of them involved in something like this. What must she be thinking.

Wow, could I be sued for ambling down to Thursday's demo in Dublin city centre on my lunch hour? Bring it on! #gofuckyourselfpaddy

Paddy Jackson is a wonderful example of that well known N Ireland saying 'you couldn't like him if ye reared (rared) him'

Another tweet saying that the woman concerned may have lost the battle but appears to have won the war.

No matter what the verdict, those messages between the men reveal exactly what they are.

@Irishfeminist

Go! I'll be delighted to contribute to your crowdfunder if the racist rapist sues you

Is it wrong of me to hope he sues? For the laugh that'll be in it.

I saw on twitter that there we’re people jeering and scoffing from the public gallery as the victim spoke during the trial. What the actual fuck Is wrong with people???

Apparently tweeting #ibelieveher is defamatory

www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/rugby-rape-trial-libel-me-and-ill-sue-you-warns-jackson-36760750.html

there we’re people jeering and scoffing from the public gallery as the victim spoke during the trial.

Seriously? The judge should have knocked that on the head immediately.

The judge should've had quite a few more things to say than he actually did...

@boreofwhabylon yes Paddy's lawyer has extended his threats to citizens gathering peacefully in support of the young woman and chanting "We believe her!" What a gobshite.

excitedly awaits summons

There's a bigger demo on in an hour or so. Gwan Dubliners!

Judge is a woman - Patricia Smith. And yes, she should be having trouble sleeping after what was allowed to happen in that courtroom.

@Irishfeminist good luck to the misogynist gobshite lawyer with that

Can anyone with actual legal knowledge answer this?

Is saying you believe the defendant libel?

Saying x person is a rapist may be libel, but saying ‘I believe her’ does not libel the accused and acquitted. There’s no explanation of what you believe- just that you believe her. Who is her? What specifically are we believing? Those questions could be asked if someone sued you for libel.

Believing the defendant is a matter of opinion, surely? It’s like saying ‘I know OJ Simpson was acquitted in the criminal court but I personally believe that...’

Or do we now have to give up our opinions entirely?

Had the blacking up photo gone public before his threats to sue or is that a new revelation?

Honestly though what an absolute and total fuckwit. Why on earth would anyone who's been accused of rape and then been found not guilty in what was at best a somewhat borderline case want to get it looked at in a balance of probabilities court?!

More scoffing