Lawyers acting for Paddy Jackson, acquitted of rape after a high-profile nine-week trial, have announced the launch of defamation proceedings against Senator Aodhán Ó Ríordáin in connection to a tweet.

Mr Jackson was unanimously cleared of rape charges by an 11-person jury in Belfast Crown Court.

However, his lawyers saw the ruling was followed by defamatory remarks on social media, including by politicians.

Marie Hans, senior associate at KRW Law, said: “I can confirm we have issued pre-action libel correspondence against a named Senator in the Republic of Ireland. The legal action relates to a tweet sent to a number of other persons before it was eventually taken down.”

Ms Hans added: “We will not hesitate to repeat similar legal action against anyone, who deliberately or otherwise, sees fit to attack our client. We are examining carefully every item of social media commentary which seeks to challenge the integrity of the jury’s full endorsement of our client’s innocence. High Court proceedings will issue shortly in both Belfast and Dublin.”