Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Belfast rape trial - all 4 found not guilty Mod Note post one

Options
24567…316

Comments

  • Options
    #32
    _Dara_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    py2006 wrote: »
    Our feminist friends won't like this.

    Do you ever give it a rest?


  • Options
    #33
    secman
    Registered Users Posts: 6,231 ✭✭✭secman


    bluewolf wrote: »
    Surprised at the verdict and it being so quick

    There was a very reliable element of doubt from evidence of a female witness , once that came into the case there can only be one outcome, you are told by the judge that if you have any element of doubt you have to find the defendant not guilty. Any other verdict would have had a very strong case for appeal.


  • Options
    #34
    Pyr0
    Registered Users Posts: 5,967 ✭✭✭Pyr0


    Zulu wrote: »
    I feel sorry for the girl, whether or not she was telling porkies or not, it's a sorry sorry affair.

    So you'd feel sorry for the girl even if she was telling lies? What??


  • Options
    #35
    seamus
    Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Wow, that was a quick turnaround for such an incredibly long case.

    Justice is justice, if the jury who sat there and heard all of the evidence weren't convinced it was rape, then it probably wasn't.

    There of course are people who had already decided the outcome of this case who won't be happy, but sure isn't there always.

    One genuine issue which did come up in the conduct of the case was the disparity in the cross examination of the woman versus the men. She was basically grilled for the guts of a week on a short history of her adult life, whereas the defendants only questioned for half the time on their conduct on the night in question.

    Whether this is something that can be rectified I don't know, but it certainly creates a huge barrier for anyone wanting to make a complaint of rape. You have to be prepared to open your entire life up to public scrutiny and prove that you're lily white, whereas the person you accuse just has to account for their behaviour that day/night.


  • Options
    #36
    Zulu
    Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    ...misogynistic jackass isn’t illegal.
    Misogyny: it's got to be one of the most overused words. Kinda takes all meaning from it...


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #37
    .......
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    This post has been deleted.


  • Options
    #38
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,024 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    can she be named so other men in the future can stay well clear of her?


  • Options
    #39
    py2006
    Registered Users Posts: 9,847 ✭✭✭py2006


    Zulu wrote: »
    Misogyny: it's got to be one of the most overused words. Kinda takes all meaning from it...

    Most misused word aswell


  • Options
    #40
    murpho999
    Registered Users Posts: 28,391 ✭✭✭✭murpho999


    James Bond Junior wrote: »
    Their careers have probably been ended either way. There are no winners here.

    Why would their careers have ended?

    Not guilty, they can move on with their lives and play rugby again.


  • Options
    #41
    AudreyHepburn
    Registered Users Posts: 5,673 ✭✭✭AudreyHepburn


    The correct verdict imo - I felt from the start that there was never any hard evidence of rape and that there were too many aspects to the girl’s story that just didn’t make sense if it was rape.

    What the group got up to and how Paddy J and his friends talked about it afterwards may be unsavory but that doesn’t mean it was rape or assault.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #42
    Zulu
    Registered Users Posts: 10,965 ✭✭✭✭Zulu


    seamus wrote: »
    One genuine issue which did come up in the conduct of the case was the disparity in the cross examination of the woman versus the man. She was basically grilled for the guts of a week on a short history of her adult life, whereas the defendants only questioned for half the time on their conduct on the night in question.
    Well to be fair, it was 4 barristers versus one in that respect.

    If any good comes from this itll be shining a light on the incompetence of the police investigation.


  • Options
    #43
    .......
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    This post has been deleted.


  • Options
    #44
    Sam Quentin
    Registered Users Posts: 2,223 ✭✭✭Sam Quentin


    [Deleted User] wrote: »
    It saddens me that (regardless of whether or not she was up for it or whatever) they would want to defile a young woman like that anyway..

    Yes.. And that not one of those 'respectful' rugby playing young men didn't step in and say. Ahh lads c'mon leave her alone she's drunk..


  • Options
    #45
    Shefwedfan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,958 ✭✭✭✭Shefwedfan


    topper75 wrote: »
    Innocent of that charge yes. She pressed the panic button on fear of being discussed as a slut.

    But who can welcome them back onto a field after those messages.

    Just imagine it was your daughter they were referring to.

    Are you serious?

    Every lads group on Watsapp has the exact same BS in it....


  • Options
    #46
    _Dara_
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,971 ✭✭✭_Dara_


    Zulu wrote: »
    Misogyny: it's got to be one of the most overused words. Kinda takes all meaning from it...
    py2006 wrote: »
    Most misused word aswell

    In this case, it’s entirely apt. Just because it’s sometimes used incorrectly doesn’t mean it can never be the right word.


  • Options
    #47
    eviltwin
    Registered Users Posts: 17,495 ✭✭✭✭eviltwin


    No idea who I believe here and its possible that all parties have interpreted the same situation differently.

    One thing I do know the 8 days she was cross examined is going to deter a lot of rape victims taking cases.


  • Options
    #48
    givyjoe
    Registered Users Posts: 3,287 ✭✭✭givyjoe


    py2006 wrote: »
    Perhaps she offered herself up that way....

    Completely putting aside this case, they're are plenty of consenting adults who regularly partake in group sex, from both genders, and no one is defiled.


  • Options
    #49
    Berserker
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,046 ✭✭✭Berserker


    James Bond Junior wrote: »
    Their careers have probably been ended either way. There are no winners here.

    Probably but their good names have been cleared, so that is good news. Never doubted their innocence for one minute. The NI footballers had the sense to avoid her. The media down here would have had a field day is they were caught up in this.
    topper75 wrote: »
    Innocent of that charge yes. She pressed the panic button on fear of being discussed as a slut.

    And or money and fame. Wouldn't be surprised if we see working the television circuit in the near future.


  • Options
    #50
    AudreyHepburn
    Registered Users Posts: 5,673 ✭✭✭AudreyHepburn


    padd b1975 wrote: »
    This won't affect their careers in the slightest, nor should it.
    They are innocent.

    Absolutely it shouldn’t but unfortunately it probably will.

    There will always be those who say no smoke without fire.


  • Options
    #51
    py2006
    Registered Users Posts: 9,847 ✭✭✭py2006


    It also possibly highlights what appears to be the increasing, "if you regret sex, you've been raped", thought process creeping out of feminist gender studies US college campus blah blah


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #52
    HandsomeBob
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,977 ✭✭✭HandsomeBob


    Bit of a sideshow it has to be said. Could swear the 4 of them were taking the piss out of the system openly and in contempt at times, particularly when one of them claimed to still be coherent after 20 odd drinks.


  • Options
    #53
    Digs
    Registered Users Posts: 2,102 ✭✭✭Digs


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    Are you serious?

    Every lads group on Watsapp has the exact same BS in it....

    Exactly! That BS needs to stop. We don’t need international rugby players perpetuating the myth its actually acceptable!


  • Options
    #54
    .......
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,057 ✭✭✭.......


    This post has been deleted.


  • Options
    #55
    The Talking Bread
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,050 ✭✭✭✭The Talking Bread


    Shefwedfan wrote: »
    topper75 wrote: »
    Innocent of that charge yes. She pressed the panic button on fear of being discussed as a slut.

    But who can welcome them back onto a field after those messages.

    Just imagine it was your daughter they were referring to.

    Are you serious?

    Every lads group on Watsapp has the exact same BS in it....

    Speak for yourself and your own mates buddy


  • Options
    #56
    cavemeister
    Registered Users Posts: 593 ✭✭✭cavemeister


    Anne1982h wrote: »
    I believe her solely because I have no idea why you would put yourself through that incredibly public and humiliating trial if nothing bad actually happened at all. It doesn’t make sense.

    But she had total anonymity in court. She was hidden behind a curtain the whole time. If she was lying (and unfortunately, the jury believed she was) she will never be named or identified publicly. Paddy and Stuart have been found to be not guilty and now have their names associated with rape for the rest of their lives.


  • Options
    #57
    stevoman
    Registered Users Posts: 3,041 ✭✭✭stevoman


    I don't think there was lies involved. I think that case boils down to perspective. Rape is a crime but at what spectrum is this being judged at.

    For a woman to feel potentially ashamed of something she has done and claim it as a rape the next day because it doesn't fir into her moral values or a woman being dragged into a ditch and being subjected to an unbearable sexual assault, personally I don't know how these things can be categorised under the same crime.

    But this is the world we live in. Id just say watch this space because as the Facebook generation become more and more disillusioned with life and the lines become more blurred and blurred its just going to get worse.


  • Options
    #58
    Cienciano
    Registered Users Posts: 14,226 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    Being a misogynistic jackass isn’t illegal.

    Or a group of legends depending on your point of view


  • Options
    #59
    py2006
    Registered Users Posts: 9,847 ✭✭✭py2006


    _Dara_ wrote: »
    In this case, it’s entirely apt. Just because it’s sometimes used incorrectly doesn’t mean it can never be the right word.

    A hell of a lot more than just sometimes these days. They now use it instead of the word sexist and use it ANY time a man disagrees or criticises feminism.


  • Options
    #60
    pjohnson
    Registered Users Posts: 23,197 ✭✭✭✭pjohnson


    eviltwin wrote: »
    No idea who I believe here and its possible that all parties have interpreted the same situation differently.

    One thing I do know the 8 days she was cross examined is going to deter a lot of rape victims taking cases.

    It shouldn't as she wasn't a rape victim.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #61
    lawred2
    Registered Users Posts: 24,281 ✭✭✭✭lawred2


    The Talking Bread wrote: »
    Speak for yourself and your own mates buddy

    100%


This discussion has been closed.
Advertisement