Dara florence

Paddy jackson family

Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info. A forensic medical expert has told the trial of four Ulster rugby players that most rape victims do not fight back during an attack. And later said that she had no experience of taking the first account of an attack from a witness and throughout her career had been privy to police notes before meeting any alleged sexual assault victim.

Now semi-retired, the doctor told the court she works one day a week in conjunction with the PSNI. She said she had a concern about findings from Dr Phillip Lavery who had identified a tear in the vaginal wall of the complainant during a medical examination 14 hours after the alleged attack in June The doctor, who qualified in medicine 42 years ago and has worked in the areas of forensics and sexual assault extensively, told the court that a video, recorded by Dr Lavery during an examination of the alleged victim, did not show her a laceration.

It just showed me a pool of blood. She said she now felt concerned that the complainant had still been bleeding 14 hours after the alleged attack. It is known that injuries heal very quickly in this area. If it is cut it heals within a day. I think I would have been thinking along the lines of how I would have stopped the bleeding.

But the medical witness for the defence confirmed that the colour of the bruising mentioned by Dr Lavery would indicate that the injury had happened recently. Asked by prosecutor Mr Hedworth QC to explain the purpose of such recordings, Dr Hall replied it gave a visual confirmation of any findings.