Man, 83, acquitted of raping teenager in Limerick

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has acquitted an 83-year-old man of raping an American teenager after he testified that the sex was consensual.

The man, who is also a US citizen, denied two counts of raping the then 17-year-old girl in a hotel room in Limerick City on August 1, 2010, while they were both on holidays here. He also denied two counts of sexually assaulting her in the hotel room on July 31 and August 1, 2010. The man is legally entitled to anonymity.

The pair, who are related, were sharing a twin room during their stay when the sexual acts took place. The woman told the trial she still cannot quite believe what happened and said the accused was like a grandfather to her.