A court hears the alleged victim told friends she "would just be embarrassed" and was worried it was "my word against theirs".

Paddy Jackson (left) and Stuart Olding deny the charges against them
Image: Paddy Jackson (left) and Stuart Olding deny the charges against them

A woman who says she was raped by two Irish international rugby players had said there was "no point" in telling police, a court heard.

Paddy Jackson, from Oakleigh Park in Belfast, and Stuart Olding, from Ardenlee Street in the city, both deny raping the same woman at a house in south Belfast on 28 June, 2016.

Jackson denies a further charge of sexual assault.

The woman, who cannot be identified, was giving evidence at the second day of the trial of Jackson, 26, and Olding, 24, at Belfast Crown Court.

The court heard that she had told a friend via text message: "No, I do not want to get the police involved.

"You know how that will turn out. It's my word against theirs.

"Ulster Rugby will vouch for their good character and I'll just look like a stupid little girl."

The court heard that the woman had also told friends there was "no point" in going to the police.

"No, I do not want anyone to hear," she had written to a friend.

"I would just be embarrassed."

Jackson's defence barrister Brendan Kelly QC asked her why she had not told friends that another woman had walked into the bedroom while she was allegedly being attacked.

She replied: "Because the whole rape had been so traumatic that was what I had focused on.

"The fact that someone had walked in was secondary."

She added: "Whenever the girl walked into the room, the stage that she walked in at, she had already missed the moment that those men crossed the line.

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    "She had not witnessed the blatant disregard for the fact that I did not want to have sex."

    The case, being heard by a jury of nine men and three women, is expected to last for five weeks.