Mother raped by two professional footballers

A mom who was raped by two skilled footballers stated the pair supplied her £115,000 if she dropped her case.

Striker David Goodwillie and his former Dundee United team-mate David Robertson made three money presents to Denise Clair if she dropped her case towards them, she stated in her first interview for the reason that listening to concluded on Tuesday. 

'They tried to purchase me off - not the motion of males who nonetheless declare they did nothing mistaken,' stated Ms Clair, who made authorized historical past as the one lady in Scotland to efficiently sue rapists.

Striker David Goodwillie and his former Dundee United team-mate David Robertson made three money presents to Denise Clair if she dropped her case towards them, she stated in her first interview for the reason that listening to concluded on Tuesday

When she refused to just accept their cash, Goodwillie's authorized crew made a failed try and have her authorized help reduce so she couldn't go forward together with her case.

Ms Clair, who waived her proper to anonymity, rejected the presents of an out-of-court settlement. 

The ultimate one got here simply weeks earlier than the historic case which this week noticed them publicly named by a Regulation Lord as rapists.

Ms Clair sued them within the Courtroom of Session after the Crown Workplace in Scotland refused to prosecute the pair.

She claimed that, on January 2, 2011, they took her to an empty home in West Lothian and raped her.

The civil motion heard that the lads took benefit of susceptible Ms Clair after they informed a pub bouncer they have been taking her house to her mom, leading to Lord Armstrong's damning verdict

Mom-of-one Ms Clair, 30, stated that when their makes an attempt to purchase her off failed, their attorneys tried to cease her authorized help to cease the case going forward.

'Mercifully, they failed,' she stated. 'The three presents made to settle would all have concerned me preserving quiet. It was their manner of making an attempt to gag me.'

Goodwillie, 27, and Robertson, 30, have all the time protested their innocence and claimed earlier than Lord Armstrong that Ms Clair, a former Scottish Jail Service careers adviser, had been a keen sexual associate.

However in an unprecedented judgment, the Regulation Lord condemned the footballers as liars and rapists and awarded Ms Clair £100,000 in damages.

David Goodwillie (left) and David Robertson (proper), pictured at Edinburgh Courtroom in November final yr, raped the girl when she was too drunk to consent, a choose stated 

Final evening Ms Clair stated: 'It was by no means about cash. Fact does not have a worth. It was about exposing them for who they're.'

The three presents to settle the case have been secret till now for authorized causes - as has the try and take away her authorized help which might have derailed her case.

Ms Clair stated: 'Now it is over, folks ought to know the total reality about what was occurring behind the scenes - and other people could make up their very own minds.

'Do harmless males who say they've finished nothing mistaken supply £115,000 to settle a case in non-public? I do not suppose so.'

Ms Clair, from West Lothian, acquired the primary supply of settlement in June 2015. It was made in a cellphone name wherein the authorized advisers of each gamers supplied her £40,000 plus bills to not take the case to courtroom.

Adamant justice ought to be finished in public, Ms Clair rejected it.

Then, throughout a gathering of advocates in Edinburgh in July 2016, Goodwillie's authorized crew supplied her £50,000 together with her authorized bills if she dropped the case and stayed quiet. Once more, she refused.

Lord Armstrong ordered Goodwillie and Robertson to pay damages of £100,000. He stated their proof had not been dependable, however Ms Clair's had been 'persuasive and compelling'

Lower than a month earlier than the civil case opened on October 18, there was a 3rd try and pay her off.

Ms Clair stated: 'There was a pre-trial assembly of the advocates in Edinburgh on September 21.

HOW A COURT FOUND AGAINST PLAYERS 

David Goodwillie and David Robertson didn't face a prison trial over the alleged rape after prosecutors of Scotland's Crown Workplace determined to not cost them.

Nonetheless, the sufferer then pursued a civil case towards the pair and the choose within the case discovered that they did rape the girl after listening to proof from all three.

In prison circumstances, the usual of proof is past affordable doubt, nonetheless in civil circumstances similar to these the burden of proof is much less - on the steadiness of chances.

It means the pair haven't been discovered responsible of rape however liable for it and chargeable for damages. They won't obtain a prison file.

'An elevated supply on behalf of each males of £115,000, together with bills, was made. Once more, I refused.

'Lord Armstrong awarded me £100,000 - lower than the gamers needed to purchase me off with - and most of will probably be swallowed up by authorized prices. I do not thoughts although. All that issues is that I'm vindicated.

'I needed the reality to emerge and no amount of cash would have purchased my silence or made up for the struggling I, and my household, endured.

'At one stage, throughout the pre-trial conferences, my QC advised to the opposite facet settlement £120,000 would have been extra applicable'.

'However I'd by no means have accepted something out of courtroom. I used to be by no means on the market.'

Ms Clair's solely remorse stays that former Scotland star Goodwillie, who now performs for Plymouth Argyle in England, and Robertson, who performs for Scottish facet Cowdenbeath, didn't face prison expenses.

She stated: 'I've been let down by the justice system. They need to be behind bars. The police pursued the case however the Crown Workplace determined to not proceed.'

Goodwillie - who is alleged to be contemplating an enchantment - and Robertson each deny raping Ms Clair and demand she consented to intercourse.

Neither participant could possibly be reached for remark.

Goodwillie (No 7 on his shorts) coaching with the remainder of the Plymouth squad earlier this month

Nonetheless, in a press release issued final week, Goodwillie stated: 'As a 21-year-old I acted immaturely, naively and doubtless not as respectfully or with the identical consideration towards somebody I used to be with as I may have and, if that was the case, I apologise.'

Ms Clair, nonetheless, has her personal view of Goodwillie. She stated: 'He's a pathetic creature who failed to purchase me off and might nonetheless not come clean with what he did..'

Her lawyer Cameron Fyfe stated: 'Denise has been extraordinarily courageous. She has helped make the world safer for all ladies.'

'THESE HAVE BEEN DARK, DARK TIMES': MS CLAIR REACTS TO THE VERDICT

The cellphone name from Denise Clair's solicitor got here as she was serving breakfast to her daughter.

Cameron Fyfe's message was succinct: 'You've got gained.'

Right here is Denise Clair's response to the decision - 

'Over the past six years, there have been darkish, darkish instances when solely her cuddles and pure, easy love have pulled me again from the brink of ending all of it. 

'At instances, it was that dangerous. On a number of events, I wrote letters saying goodbye to my family members. Mercifully, I noticed sense and tore them up.

'It was solely the considered leaving my little lady behind and inflicting grief to my household - who have been already struggling badly - that saved me from ending all of it.

'The pressure of latest years, and the accusations of my attackers that I used to be promiscuous, has been monumental.

'The horrible reality is that many individuals have been keen to imagine them, given their place locally and their standing as heroes and function fashions. These gamers believed themselves to be untouchable.'

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