He will be prosecuted for breaching the lifetime ban on reporting the identity of an alleged victim by posting her name on social media.

A second man who was under investigation for the same offence will not be prosecuted due to insufficient evidence.

Ireland and Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding were acquitted of rape in March after the high-profile nine-week trial.

A spokesperson for the PPS said: “The Public Prosecution Service can confirm it has taken a decision to prosecute one person in relation to an allegation of breaching the anonymity granted to a complainant in a high profile rape trial.

“After a careful consideration of all evidence, it has been decided to prosecute that person on one charge of breaching the lifetime ban on reporting the identity of an alleged victim.

“A second suspect reported separately by police for allegedly breaching the same complainant’s identity will not be prosecuted after it was concluded there was insufficient evidence to prove any offence had been committed.

“In taking these decisions, senior prosecutors considered evidence received from police in relation to social media posts which were alleged to have potentially identified a complainant involved in trial proceedings which ran at Belfast Crown Court from January to March 2018.”