FORMER NORTHERN IRELAND international footballer Paddy McCourt, 39, has been found guilty by a judge of sexually assaulting a woman in a bar in the centre of Derry last year.

Following a two-day trial at the Magistrate’s Court in Derry, District Judge Ted Magill convicted the former Celtic and League of Ireland footballer from Muff, Co. Donegal, of committing the offence in the early hours of 30 January 2022.

In his direct evidence, McCourt denied touching the complainant in a sexual manner. He said he believed her when she said she had been sexually assaulted “but it was not by me”.

Delivering his guilty verdict, Mr Magill said he’d given careful consideration to both the evidence and statements submitted to him.

He said while DNA evidence represented a great scientific advancement, it was not infallible.

Referring to another man in the bar on the night of the incident whom the defence submitted should have been treated as a suspect, Mr Magill said the CCTV footage showed that the man’s actions were not consistent with the defence suggestion.

“It could not have been anyone else other than the defendant,” he said.

Mr Magill said he would sentence McCourt, who has no previous convictions, on 7 July following the preparation of a pre-sentence report.

He said he would also decide on that date whether or not to place McCourt on the Sex Offender’s Register.