Cleared of rape using broom handle

A 37-year-old man has been acquitted of raping a woman with a broom handle at a party over two years ago.

The man, who cannot be named, had pleaded not guilty to raping the woman by penetrating her anus and vagina with a broom handle at the house in Kerry on Jan 7, 2011.

The jury took over eight hours to return a not guilty verdict on both counts on day five of the trial at the Central Criminal Court.