Victim claims accused sent text saying 'I raped you'

A north Dublin woman has claimed at the Central Criminal Court that a man she alleges was having sex with her when she woke up later sent her a mobile phone text message saying: "I raped you, ha ha."

The woman also told prosecuting counsel, Ms Aileen Donelly SC (with Ms Roisin Lacey BL), that she had been intimate "once in 2004" with the accused whom she said was a friend of hers for some years.

The 24-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to raping her in a north city suburb on July 3, 2005.

The 25-year-old woman said the accused phoned her on the evening of July 3, 2005 and asked to come to see her. She told him she had no money for drink and he offered to buy her some cans.

When he arrived, there were other friends in her flat. He left after some time because he had pains in his stomach and went home to get a painkiller and when he returned they all drank some more and had a good time talking and laughing.

She told Ms Donnelly she recalled some of her friends leaving after 1am and she then went to sleep on her couch but remembered nothing more until she woke up at about 7.30 in the morning with the accused on top of her. She couldn't say if he was putting his penis in or out of her vagina.

She had no bottoms or underwear on at this stage but had been fully dressed wearing pyjama bottoms when she went to sleep.

She said she was lying on her back and began pushing her off him and when she was going out the door of the room he let a roar at her saying he wasn't finished yet. She ran to a next-door neighbour calling for help.

The complainant said her next-door friend with a male companion took her (complainant) in by the hand to her home. The accused was standing there fully dressed and when she asked him what he was after doing to her he laughed at her before leaving.

The woman said that shortly afterwards her friend got a message from the accused looking for his wallet but they couldn't find it.

She said she later got a text message which came from the accused's phone saying: "If I don't get my stuff you will see. If you want 'shit' from this you can have it. I raped you, ha ha."

Her sister came to the flat later and gardaí were contacted.

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