The ulster rugby trial

[Milltown Row2]

Crying or being annoyed in a taxi will not convince me if something bad happened..

Questions missed for taxi driver:  How often do you pick up couples late night or early hours of the morning where one or more of them appears to be upset and or sobbing or soiled their clothing?  What stood out for you on this occasion that was different from your previous experience?

Either by very condensed reporting or weak questioning by barrister, the taxi driver appears to have gone unchallenged in witness box.

Crying in a taxi late at night won't be much use.
I have often seen young girls bawling their eyes out late at night after drinking. There are loads of reasons that could be the cause.
He broke up with me. He danced with some slut, too much gin, he rode me, he didn't ride me.
The fun will start when or if the accused give evidence
Hang together or they'll all hang separately

True but how often does a man accompany a distressed girl, who he doesn't know from Adam, home in a taxi?

If I was at a party and a random girl got upset for no good reason, I'd have no problem calling a taxi for her but no chance I'd be going with her

He said he'd call her tomorrow, so did he have the number of a random person or someone he knew?

[macdanger2]

Crying or being annoyed in a taxi will not convince me if something bad happened..

Questions missed for taxi driver:  How often do you pick up couples late night or early hours of the morning where one or more of them appears to be upset and or sobbing or soiled their clothing?  What stood out for you on this occasion that was different from your previous experience?

Either by very condensed reporting or weak questioning by barrister, the taxi driver appears to have gone unchallenged in witness box.

Crying in a taxi late at night won't be much use.
I have often seen young girls bawling their eyes out late at night after drinking. There are loads of reasons that could be the cause.
He broke up with me. He danced with some slut, too much gin, he rode me, he didn't ride me.
The fun will start when or if the accused give evidence
Hang together or they'll all hang separately

True but how often does a man accompany a distressed girl, who he doesn't know from Adam, home in a taxi?

If I was at a party and a random girl got upset for no good reason, I'd have no problem calling a taxi for her but no chance I'd be going with her

He said he'd call her tomorrow, so did he have the number of a random person or someone he knew?

I don't get it - are you saying she wasn't just a random girl to the defendant who brought her home?

[Avondhu star]

There's consistency in the prosecution case but beyond reasonable doubt, not so sure.

[Milltown Row2]

I think I can recall that he said he'd phone her in the morning to see if shes ok?  The person who went home with her in the taxi is the one being done for withholding information? Who the girl had said in court that he was nice to her and thanked him for being in the taxi with her?

Again all secondhand stuff, I just wish Syferus would tell us everything

[Avondhu star]

I think I can recall that he said he'd phone her in the morning to see if shes ok?  The person who went home with her in the taxi is the one being done for withholding information? Who the girl had said in court that he was nice to her and thanked him for being in the taxi with her?

Again all secondhand stuff, I just wish Syferus would tell us everything

He's too busy advising Arlene on the way forward

[Hound]

I think I can recall that he said he'd phone her in the morning to see if shes ok?  The person who went home with her in the taxi is the one being done for withholding information? Who the girl had said in court that he was nice to her and thanked him for being in the taxi with her?

Again all secondhand stuff, I just wish Syferus would tell us everything

I thought it was clear the girl knew nobody, but she gave Defendant 4 her number when he asked her so that he could check in on her the following day.
I don't think it was unusual for him to get in a taxi with her if she was upset. They presumably chatted at some stage downstairs earlier in the night, even if just a hello. There were only about 8 people at the house I think. And it may not have been far out of his way as the same taxi then brought him home. But I do think he feared something bad had happened, although I don't think he witnessed anything so couldnt be sure one way or the other.

Presumably the police will give evidence at some stage as to why they think he obstructed them. Nothing about that so far that I've seen.

[Main Street]

Crying or being annoyed in a taxi will not convince me if something bad happened..

Questions missed for taxi driver:  How often do you pick up couples late night or early hours of the morning where one or more of them appears to be upset and or sobbing or soiled their clothing?  What stood out for you on this occasion that was different from your previous experience?

Either by very condensed reporting or weak questioning by barrister, the taxi driver appears to have gone unchallenged in witness box.

Crying in a taxi late at night won't be much use.
I have often seen young girls bawling their eyes out late at night after drinking. There are loads of reasons that could be the cause.
He broke up with me. He danced with some slut, too much gin, he rode me, he didn't ride me.
The fun will start when or if the accused give evidence
Hang together or they'll all hang separately

True but how often does a man accompany a distressed girl, who he doesn't know from Adam, home in a taxi?

If I was at a party and a random girl got upset for no good reason, I'd have no problem calling a taxi for her but no chance I'd be going with her

A woman in distress, crying in a taxi on the way home in the early hours does not mean much on its own
but in the context of a rape allegation, it does have obvious value.

If she had been joking and laughing on the phone to one of her friends, you can be sure that demeanor would be up for questioning by the defence team and most probably social media.

[magpie seanie]

The police evidence will obviously be huge. Looks to me like the defence are going to have to say the lads panicked when they were brought in for questioning........and I think they're all going to have to take the stand to give their "real" version of what happened. They'll have a job to be as convincing as the alleged victim.

[Hound]

The police evidence will obviously be huge. Looks to me like the defence are going to have to say the lads panicked when they were brought in for questioning........and I think they're all going to have to take the stand to give their "real" version of what happened. They'll have a job to be as convincing as the alleged victim.

Lawyer friend told me that PJ just submitted a written statement, didn't do a police interview.

Makes it strange that he would deny the act.  I wonder did he have a gf and if that influenced his statement!?

[Main Street]

The police evidence will obviously be huge. Looks to me like the defence are going to have to say the lads panicked when they were brought in for questioning........and I think they're all going to have to take the stand to give their "real" version of what happened. They'll have a job to be as convincing as the alleged victim.

The defense team has already blundered in the questioning of the woman witness, there is now a witness who clearly contradicts  Paddy Jackson in an important aspect  (albeit not crucial)  of his statement.
Seeing as Paddy's lawyer emphasised  very clearly in court Paddy's version of that event and got shot down by the witness, it would look very poorly if PJ does not take the stand and defend himself.

[Avondhu star]

I believe we have at least two qualified legal professionals.

I am not one of them

Are you Max from Hart to Hart!

[smelmoth]

The police evidence will obviously be huge. Looks to me like the defence are going to have to say the lads panicked when they were brought in for questioning........and I think they're all going to have to take the stand to give their "real" version of what happened. They'll have a job to be as convincing as the alleged victim.

The defense team has already blundered in the questioning of the woman witness, there is now a witness who clearly contradicts  Paddy Jackson in an important aspect  (albeit not crucial)  of his statement.
Seeing as Paddy's lawyer emphasised  very clearly in court Paddy's version of that event and got shot down by the witness, it would look very poorly if PJ does not take the stand and defend himself.

The opposite inference is usually drawn. Typically the defendant will not take the stand.

Remember the defendant is only there to rebut the prosecution case. Therefore if they contend that the prosecution case isn't strong enough they don't take stand. And if they do take the stand they will only be allowed to rebut the prosecution case. If they veer off into putting forward alternative stories or unconnected positive images of themselves they will get pulled up by the judge and that plays badly with a jury

[LeoMc]

Crying or being annoyed in a taxi will not convince me if something bad happened..

Questions missed for taxi driver:  How often do you pick up couples late night or early hours of the morning where one or more of them appears to be upset and or sobbing or soiled their clothing?  What stood out for you on this occasion that was different from your previous experience?

Either by very condensed reporting or weak questioning by barrister, the taxi driver appears to have gone unchallenged in witness box.

Crying in a taxi late at night won't be much use.
I have often seen young girls bawling their eyes out late at night after drinking. There are loads of reasons that could be the cause.
He broke up with me. He danced with some slut, too much gin, he rode me, he didn't ride me.
The fun will start when or if the accused give evidence
Hang together or they'll all hang separately

True but how often does a man accompany a distressed girl, who he doesn't know from Adam, home in a taxi?

If I was at a party and a random girl got upset for no good reason, I'd have no problem calling a taxi for her but no chance I'd be going with her

He said he'd call her tomorrow, so did he have the number of a random person or someone he knew?

I took it from the reporting that he made that comment on the phone to one of the other accused.
"She's with me now. She's not good. I'll call you in the morning". @FrankGreaney.

[Milltown Row2]

Crying or being annoyed in a taxi will not convince me if something bad happened..

Questions missed for taxi driver:  How often do you pick up couples late night or early hours of the morning where one or more of them appears to be upset and or sobbing or soiled their clothing?  What stood out for you on this occasion that was different from your previous experience?

Either by very condensed reporting or weak questioning by barrister, the taxi driver appears to have gone unchallenged in witness box.

Crying in a taxi late at night won't be much use.
I have often seen young girls bawling their eyes out late at night after drinking. There are loads of reasons that could be the cause.
He broke up with me. He danced with some slut, too much gin, he rode me, he didn't ride me.
The fun will start when or if the accused give evidence
Hang together or they'll all hang separately

True but how often does a man accompany a distressed girl, who he doesn't know from Adam, home in a taxi?

If I was at a party and a random girl got upset for no good reason, I'd have no problem calling a taxi for her but no chance I'd be going with her

He said he'd call her tomorrow, so did he have the number of a random person or someone he knew?

I took it from the reporting that he made that comment on the phone to one of the other accused.
"She's with me now. She's not good. I'll call you in the morning". @FrankGreaney.

There ya go, thats more believable ... but if you were raped by three guys would you get in the taxi with their mate?

[Main Street]

The police evidence will obviously be huge. Looks to me like the defence are going to have to say the lads panicked when they were brought in for questioning........and I think they're all going to have to take the stand to give their "real" version of what happened. They'll have a job to be as convincing as the alleged victim.

The defense team has already blundered in the questioning of the woman witness, there is now a witness who clearly contradicts  Paddy Jackson in an important aspect  (albeit not crucial)  of his statement.
Seeing as Paddy's lawyer emphasised  very clearly in court Paddy's version of that event and got shot down by the witness, it would look very poorly if PJ does not take the stand and defend himself.

The opposite inference is usually drawn. Typically the defendant will not take the stand.

Remember the defendant is only there to rebut the prosecution case. Therefore if they contend that the prosecution case isn't strong enough they don't take stand. And if they do take the stand they will only be allowed to rebut the prosecution case. If they veer off into putting forward alternative stories or unconnected positive images of themselves they will get pulled up by the judge and that plays badly with a jury

I would have thought that the witness who shot down the defence lawyers question (re penetration sex) was strong enough to question the credibility of PJ´s statement,  as it stands now PJ's statement has a significant unbelievable factor. But perhaps the defence team will try to repair that in other ways.