Ruth Coppinger should correct record

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https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/letters/underwear-was-not-held-up-during-trial-1.4328638

https://twitter.com/caitlin_mc1/status/1427179275455762432?s=21

This fake story is still being shared online. The far left in Ireland is just as bad as the far right with fake news. Dublin Rape Crisis Centre should also apologise for spreading this story as fact.

Effects

What's the fake story? I thought Matt Shanahan apologised for what he said, so how could his story be fake?

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Fake story about womens underwear lifted up in court. This did not happen in Ireland. The left keep repeating it as fact as something that happened in our courts. Coppinger and the DRCC need to correct the record.

expectationlost

so it wasn't held up?

Dempo1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117773567#Comment_117773567

😂😂 I'm saying no more

Grab All Association

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117773567#Comment_117773567

Nope. It never happened in a courtroom in Ireland. The only person to hold up women’s underwear was Ruth in the Dail

Wow.

So the underwear wasn't 'held up' but it was shown in the courtroom as part of the evidence.

It was then referenced by defence barristers in closing argument, because the victim wore 'a lacy front thong'

I'm not sure that arguing whether it was 'held up' or not is such a fantastic argument.

Markus Antonius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058204253/ruth-coppinger-should-correct-record

I'd love to see an example of "far right" fake news in Ireland. Ireland isn't even allowed have a right wing representative on a ballot paper never mind a news article

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Sir, – Noeleen Blackwell, chief executive of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, highlights the “myths” which surround the issue of rape, but in the same sentence asks, “Who can forget the image of a lawyer holding up a young woman’s underwear in court, implying that . . . she was asking for sex?” (Opinion & Analysis, August 7th). This incident, which dates from November 2018, did not occur as she recounts it in her column and is in fact a myth in itself.

While reference was made to what the complainant was wearing, as would normally be the case in a criminal trial, underwear was not displayed as some kind of grotesque prop during closing arguments, as was widely reported at the time.

Such a practice might be seen in a US television dramas, but not in an Irish courtroom.

The claim that underwear was held up appeared to originate in a British newspaper on foot of comments made by former TD Ruth Coppinger, who was the only person to actually hold up any underwear, doing so in the Dáil on November 13th, 2018.

The female lawyer at the centre of this inaccurate claim is a highly respected senior counsel, and was subjected to online vilification and threats as a result of this coverage.

This led to expressions of concern from members of the legal profession which were reported in your newspaper (“Lawyers concerned over public backlash after underwear comments in rape trial”, News, November 24th).

In view of this, it is highly regrettable that you allowed Ms Blackwell to repeat this inaccurate claim in her column. This can only serve to further deter victims from reporting sexual crimes, and deter female lawyers from representing defendants in such difficult cases. – Yours, etc,

SARAH-ANNE CLEARY,

Solicitor,

Strokestown,

Co Roscommon.

Tell me how

Of all the things politicians come out with and do, this is the thing the OP feels is of paramount importance they be held accountable for?

Why so annoyed? Is it because Coppinger is a woman? Is it because she advocated on behalf of female victims in court cases? Is it because you think she is woke?

You've little to be worried about is all I can take from this.