Former Celtic and Derry City footballer Paddy McCourt has been found guilty at Derry Magistrates’ Court of sexually assaulting a woman on January 30th last year.
McCourt (39), of Wheatfield Court, Muff, Co Donegal, had contested one charge of sexual assault on a woman where it was alleged someone had put their hand up her skirt in a nightclub.
After a two-day hearing, District Judge Ted Magill ruled that while there were discrepancies in some of the witness accounts, this happened.
He said you could have 12 witnesses to one incident and get 12 different accounts.
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The judge said that the defence had claimed the police investigation had been flawed and another man identified by the defence should have been arrested and tested for DNA.
He said that DNA was not infallible and that “absence of evidence is not evidence of absence”.
Judge Magill said that the actions of the other man in the case “were not consistent” with him having committed the offence.
He added “it follows it can’t be anyone other than the defendant” who carried out the assault and he found him guilty.
McCourt was released on bail to allow the preparation of a pre-sentence report and will be sentenced on July 7th.
