AN APPLICATION TO cover Paddy Jackson’s legal fees is due to be heard in Belfast Crown Court next month, it emerged today.

Jackson (26) was acquitted of rape and sexual assault last month following a mammoth nine-week trial.

Three other co-defendants – including Jackson’s Ireland and Ulster Rugby teammate Stuart Olding (25) – were also acquitted on charges they faced arising from an incident in Jackson’s south Belfast bedroom in June 2016.

It is understood that Jackson privately funded his defence and his legal bill amounted to over £100,000, which he had already settled.

However, he is seeking to retrieve this money and has made an application in an attempt to have these costs covered by the Public Prosecution Service.

A hearing in a bid to cover the legal costs has been scheduled to take in Belfast at 2pm on Friday 18 May.

Co-accused Stuart Olding had been covering his own legal costs at the start of the trial. However, half way through the trial his barrister asked that he be granted legal aid for the remainder of the hearing, as he no longer had sufficient funds to cover the costs.

After she asked to be provided with evidence of this – such as bank statements – Judge Patricia Smyth granted legal aid for Olding.