Dublin man denies rape and false imprisonment charges

A 33-year-old Dublin man has denied in the Central Criminal Court the rape and false imprisonment of his former girlfriend.

A jury heard the attack happened in the city centre when the woman went to his flat to organise retrieving a television after the breakdown of their relationship.

The accused man has pleaded not guilty to the rape, anal rape and false imprisonment of the woman in his flat on September, 18, 1998.

Prosecuting counsel, Mr Paddy McCarthy SC, (with Ms Pauline Wally BL), told the jury they would hear the woman had been in a sexual relationship with the accused for a short time.

It was a tempestuous relationship which broke down soon after a weekend trip. They met at lunch time on September 18 to make arrangements to exchange a television.

She told him he was not to meet her after work unless he brought a car. When he turned up, he was quite drunk and became abusive. She agreed to walk to another street to where he said he had a car but found there was no car there.

He had his arm around her shoulder and said he had a knife which he would stick in her if she did not go to his flat. She did not want to go but they eventually arrived in the flat.

He had no key so he kicked in the door. The woman sat by a window in the living room and he asked her to go into the bedroom. She refused but went in when he said he would force her.

Mr McCarthy said the woman told how she sat on the bed and they were talking for a time. The accused picked up a hammer at one stage and though he did not threaten her with it, she felt intimidated.

He asked her to take off her jacket because he wanted to have sex. When she said no, he told her it could either be "the hard way or the easy way." She replied it would have to be the hard way.

He started pulling at the jacket which she removed herself as it belonged to a friend and she did not want it damaged. The accused man was sniffing lighter fluid and when she got up to leave he pushed her back onto the bed.

He removed her lower garments, digitally penetrated her and then had sexual intercourse with her. She tried to kick him off but was not able. He also turned her over and had anal sex with her.

Mr McCarthy said that the woman said "no" several times while this was happening. She picked up the hammer to threaten the accused but did not hit him with it.

She tried to dial 999 on a mobile phone which was near the bed and thought she got a reply but he grabbed the phone from her. She also threw a vase through a window.

Afterwards, he walked her home. As they reached her house, he indicated he wanted her to go out with him that evening. He took her jacket and bag before she went into the house so she would have to come out again.

When she walked away he threw them on the ground and she went back to get them. The accused had taken a CD which he showed to her before he walked away.

Mr McCarthy said the woman informed the gardai and they urged her to make arrangements to meet the accused on O'Connell St a few days later.

She was accompanied by a female garda in civilian clothing and when the man saw someone with her he ran away. He was arrested after some time.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney.