“I’m sorry for the hurt that was caused to the complainant” – Stuart Olding

Solicitor Paul Dougan read out a statement on behalf of Stuart Olding on Wednesday outside of court.

The Ulster rugby player, along with Paddy Jackson, Blane McIlroy and Rory Harrison, was found not guilty. Olding was acquitted of the charge: Oral Rape. After the verdict, Olding's statement apologised for the hurt caused to the complainant and said the Olding that has been portrayed throughout the duration of this trial "is not the real Stuart Olding".

“I want to acknowledge publicly that although I committed no criminal offence on the evening of June 28, 2016, I regret deeply the events of that evening. “I want to acknowledge that the complainant came to court and gave evidence about her perception of those events. “I’m sorry for the hurt that was caused to the complainant. It was never my intention to cause any upset to anyone on that night.” “The Stuart Olding that has been portrayed over the past nine weeks in this trial is not the real Stuart Olding. “I’m fiercely proud to represent my province and my country. "I have worked very hard to achieve those goals. I hope to be able to prove myself going forward in all aspects of my life. "I would like to thank my legal team for their hard work and their belief in my throughout and finally to my family: thank you all for standing by me from the beginning.”