Paddy Jackson seeks to retrieve some or all of estimated £100,000-plus costs from trial

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

An Irish rugby international who was acquitted of rape is attempting to recoup his legal costs, it has emerged.

The Ulster player Paddy Jackson is seeking to recover some or all of the money he spent on legal representation during the nine-week trial at Belfast crown court.

Justice Patricia Smyth, the judge in the trial, will hear his case to retrieve the legal costs.

Jackson, 26, and his Ireland and Ulster colleague Stuart Olding, 25, were cleared of raping a woman at a house party two years ago. Two other men, Blane McIlroy, 26, and Rory Harrison, 25, were also unanimously acquitted of other charges.

Jackson had to privately fund his costs, which are estimated to be more than £100,000; Olding was granted legal aid halfway through the trial.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Stuart Olding. Photograph: PA

Feminist groups and women’s rights campaigners are holding a demonstration at the home of Ulster rugby before the province’s clash with the Welsh side Ospreys on Friday.

At the demonstration outside the Kingspan stadium in south Belfast, protesters will demand that Olding and Jackson never play for Ulster or Ireland again.

Last week, supporters of the 21-year-old-woman at the centre of the case took out an advertisement in the Belfast Telegraph urging Ulster and the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) not to reinstate the two players.

The pair remain suspended from representing province and country while they await an investigation by Ulster Rugby and the IRFU into their behaviour.

An alternative ad in the same newspaper on Wednesday called on the pair to be allowed back to play for Ulster and Ireland.