Olding defence solicitor calls for review of rape and serious sex assault cases in Northern Ireland

By Adam Evans

The defence solicitor for rugby player, Stuart Olding says all rape and serious sexual assault cases awaiting trial in Northern Ireland should be reviewed.

Joe Rice has raised concerns particularly around how electronic evidence is handled by police and prosecutors.

Mr Olding and his teammate Paddy Jackson were fully acquitted following their high-profile rape trial.

It comes as the Lord Chief Justice here has asked senior legal figures for their views on what can be changed without a Stormont executive.

Judge Patricia Smyth who presided over the high-profile trial is among those who've been asked to respond.

In a letter released to reporters Mr Rice has said: "Defence solicitors have genuine concerns that Police and Prosecutors may not have the necessary systems or resources to get to grips with the way they handle evidence and especially electronic evidence.

"Those concerns include issues that potential key information taken from Mobile Phones, Computers and Social Media is not being properly interrogated nor any of this is kept under sufficient review by Police and Prosecutors.

"There has to be an 'improvement plan' to tackle these new 21st century societal developments.

"This should include reviewing training, developing specialist disclosure experts in every Police Force and providing all multi-media evidence to the defence digitally."