Man fitting hitchhiker description seen waving down cars

A man fitting the description of the hitchhiker a woman claims tried to rape her was seen frantically waving down cars not far from where the alleged attack occurred.

Mr Danny Kelly told a Central Criminal Court jury he was passing the location near Longford when he saw a man at the side of the road agitatedly waving both his arms.

Mr Kelly told prosecuting counsel Mr Edward Comyn SC (with Ms Pauline Walley BL) that when he stopped, the man said: "Jesus Christ, I need a lift. I have to get to a vet."

While he was saying this, the man also opened the passenger-side door of the two-door car and squeezed in past his front seat passenger to the back before she had a chance to get out.

Mr Kelly said there was a very strong smell of petrol from this man. He offered him a cigarette which he turned down, and Mr Kelly said he later thought it might not have been such a good idea.

The man said he was a carpenter but had been driving cattle for his brother. He said one pedigree cow which was about to calve had fallen into a ditch and his brother would be furious with him if anything happened to it.

Mr Kelly said he thought he recognised a Monaghan accent and said to the man: "You're not from around here, are you?"

He replied he was originally from Monaghan but had been living in the area for 17 years.

Mr Kelly said he did not know where the vet's clinic was situated in Longford but the man said he would get out on the main street.

He left the car and jogged up the street but Mr Kelly said his passenger noticed him again later at Edgeworthstown further down the Dublin road.

A 40-year-old Co Monaghan man has pleaded not guilty to the attempted rape of the woman in Longford on August 13, 1999.

He also pleads not guilty to assault causing harm, robbery of a sum of money and the attempted hijacking of her car on the same date. The trial is now in its fifth day.

A taxi driver, Mr Dean Victory, said a man jumped into his taxi in Longford on the day of the alleged incident and asked to be taken to Edgeworthstown as quickly as possible. The man said he was supposed to be taking over a truck there.

Mr Victory said he noted a strong smell of petrol from him for which the man apologised and said he had spilled petrol on himself while mowing his sister's lawn.

Garda Angela Cummins told Mr Comyn that when she went with the woman to where the attack allegedly happened, they found her glasses, a piece of leather from her purse and a cap from a petrol can.

The trial continues in legal argument before Mr Justice Daniel Herbert and the jury is expected back on Tuesday next, April 23.