The ulster rugby trial

[gallsman]

She said she didn't follow Ulster or Irish rugby, so how can she be intimidated by Best and Henderson if she doesn't know who they are. Plus if she is behind a screen (not sure is she screened from entire court or just accused) she possibly won't even see them there.

Despite Orior branding her as stupid, I imagine she's probably able to read.

[nrico2006]

Don't see the big deal at all with Best attending court. Who should be in the public gallery?

[imtommygunn]

Did he take to the stand or just go to the trial?

[Avondhu star]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

[longballin]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

true I lived in Belfast and knew everyone there 

[Syferus]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

Bull-fûcking-shît.

[LooseCannon]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

true I lived in Belfast and knew everyone there 

I'd say that everyone knew you too!

[Avondhu star]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

true I lived in Belfast and knew everyone there 

If you kept yourself in a world without TV newspaper and all other media its possible that you wouldnt have heard of these rugby players. So called celebrities are thin on the ground with exception of Julian Simmons and May McFetteridge. Rugby players who are pumped up on the media would of course be known to most people

[Avondhu star]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

Bull-fûcking-shît.

Havent you some turf to be cutting before the E.U. closes you down?

[Avondhu star]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

I think we all should stay away from trying to second guess the verdict. You have to hope that the jury get that right.

I don't believe Best's statement. In my opinion a few PR professionals got their heads together and that was the best (pardon the pun) they could come up with. Its weak and that's no surprise because he simply shouldn't have been there and no amount of pr spin can change that. We'll move on and probably won't hear much more about this until the 6N is over if at all. I heard Marion Finucane's show earlier on RTE radio and she said that they weren't covering anything on this until after the trial is over. I know some are baying for blood but I think that is sensible. However I will qualify that by saying that I really hope the IRFU say something strong in due course

Why. The girl doesn't follow rugby so she wouldn't know he was anyway. From behind the screen.

Doesn't follow rugby? She knows these lads, that will come out too

Belfast is a small city. She knew well who these men were.

true I lived in Belfast and knew everyone there 

I'd say that everyone knew you too!

Ah leave it out. He didnt know she was only 12.

[Orior]

She said she didn't follow Ulster or Irish rugby, so how can she be intimidated by Best and Henderson if she doesn't know who they are. Plus if she is behind a screen (not sure is she screened from entire court or just accused) she possibly won't even see them there.

Despite Orior branding her as stupid, I imagine she's probably able to read.

Ouch.

[Avondhu star]

Never heard of Julian Wilson myself.

You're probably more of a May McFetteridge man

[nrico2006]

Did he take to the stand or just go to the trial?

Just went to the trial.

[HiMucker]

Just on the point a lot of people are making that why would she make it up?  There is plenty of cases that a person can believe they have been raped when they haven't.  Also conversely there is plenty of instances that a person can be raped and the accused believe that it wasn't rape.

[yellowcard]

Anybody care to revise their opinion after hearing what Best said in his press conference yesterday evening??

What did he say?

He said he was asked to be a character witness and that he was advised to go to trial to hear the girl give evidence before he decided if he would do it or not. Also she gave her evidence behind a screen so I'm not sure how his and Henderson's presence would count as intimidation for those peddling that myth.

I can't see him giving a character witness it would be suicide for him plus the more I hear the more they're guilty as sin and he's closer to it so should know more than a lot of us. They should both do proper time!!

If Best's explanation holds true (and I severely doubt it) then if he doesn't appear as a character witness for Jackson and Olding now, it looks like he believes the girls version of events.