ULSTER rugby player Stuart Olding denies raping a woman and has said sexual activity in which he took part was "entirely consensual" a court has heard.
Mr Olding's barrister Frank O'Donoghue QC told Belfast Crown Court today that his client fully co-operated with police when he was interviewed in June 2016 about the alleged attack.
Mr Olding and fellow Ireland and Ulster player Paddy Jackson deny raping the same 19-year-old woman in Mr Jackson's house on June 28 2016.
Mr O'Donaghue said Mr Olding had been very clear about what happened but insisted it was consensual.
"He accepted that primary fact, that it lasted for about five minutes," said Mr O'Donoghue.
Mr O'Donaghue was cross-examining a PSNI detective constable who had been monitoring the ABE (achieving best evidence) interview.
The officer was unable to interject with questions because he was not ABE trained at the time, it emerged.
The court also heard how Mr Olding was arrested an hour after a police interview with the complainant concluded.
He had voluntarily attended Musgrave Street PSNI station in Belfast and was arrested, Mr O'Donoghue said.
While being questioned at the police station, Mr Olding's south Belfast home was searched and clothing was retrieved - however not the outfit he had been wearing on the night of the alleged offence, the court was told.
Asking the detective about Mr Olding's conduct during the interview, Mr O'Donoghue said: "Mr Olding was fully co-operative?"
The officer answered: "He was."
Mr O'Donaghue said: "He told you he was wearing a navy shirt? He told you he was wearing black jeans? He told you he was wearing black boxer underwear?
"He told you he was wearing brown shoes?"
The detective replied: "I could not remember specifics."
The 12-person jury will have an opportunity to listen to the police interviews, the court was told.
Later, the PSNI detective was asked about a statement taken from a woman who walked into the room during the alleged rape.
Mr O'Donoghue said: "She described it as a threesome. She never described in any of that statement obvious forcing?"
The officer said: "No, she never."
When questioned about any obvious inconsistencies between the accounts provided by the woman and Mr Olding the officer added: "I believe Mr Olding had said that (the complainant) had her top off but had her trousers on and (the woman) had said she was entirely naked."
Paddy Jackson (26) from Oakleigh Park in Belfast, and his Ireland and Ulster teammate Stuart Olding (24) from Ardenlee Street also in the city, deny raping the same woman at a house in south Belfast in June 2016.
Mr Jackson denies a further charge of sexual assault.
Blane McIlroy (26) from Royal Lodge Road, Ballydollaghan, Belfast, denies exposure and Rory Harrison (25) from Manse Road, Belfast, denies perverting the course of justice and withholding information.
The case continues.
