Accused denies raping former girlfriend

A man accused of raping his former girlfriend in his flat told gardai they had consensual sex.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court on day-three of the trial heard a memo of interview made by the gardai in which he denied the rape allegations.

He said they had been arguing outside her workplace but then they went back to his flat and made love.

The jury also heard medical evidence by a live video conference link up from the Boston Medical Centre in America.

Dr Susan Clarke told prosecuting counsel, Mr Paddy McCarthy SC (with Ms Pauline Wally BL), she had examined the woman the day after the assault allegedly took place.

She reached the conclusion the bruises on her neck and arms and the marks around her genital area were consistent with the alleged victim's account of the incident.

Dr Clarke agreed with defence counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC (with Ms Caroline Biggs BL), she could not tell whether the bruises had been made when the accused man held the woman's arm outside her work an hour before the alleged assault or whether it was according to the woman's own account.

The 33 -year-old accused man has pleaded not guilty to the rape, anal rape and false imprisonment of the woman in his flat on September, 18, 1998.

Garda Orla McGrath read the memo of the interview with the accused in which he said he was drunk when he met the alleged victim but did not force her to go to his flat.

He said they were arguing when he met her and on the way to his flat but when they reached the flat things calmed down. They were sitting on a bed and he started kissing her.

She did not resist so he continued and said they made love. He said she did not say no or try to fight him off.

The accused told the gardai she became angry afterwards and said they should never had had sex. She threw an ashtray which missed him and broke a window.

Afterwards he walked her home and they made arrangements to meet that evening. She gave him a CD she had bought that day. She did not meet him later that night.

The accused said the woman rang him a few days later and they arranged to meet in O'Connell St. She was on her own when he saw her and they spoke for a few minutes.

He then saw another woman with her and became paranoid it was a garda so he left. He told the gardai he had no idea why he thought it was a garda as he had done nothing wrong.

He said he thought the alleged victim might have been trying to set him up although she had never tried anything like that before.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury of six men and six women.