Friend of accused came forward after reading newspaper report

A friend of a Tipperary man accused of rape told the jury in his trial at the Central Criminal Court that he came forward to give evidence on his friend's behalf after reading a newspaper report on the case last week.

The witness told defence counsel, Mr Giollaiosa Ó Lideadha SC (with Mr Carl Hanahoe BL), that he had seen newspaper reports of the man's trial last week in which the woman denied "kissing or cuddling" the accused prior to returning to her father's house where she alleges the rape began while she was asleep.

The witness told Mr Ó Lideadha that he had seen the pair kissing in the local pub late that night.

The 26-year-old man has pleaded not guilty to raping her in Tipperary on November 21, 2004 following the woman's 19th birthday celebrations.

Earlier, the alleged victim, who had been recalled by the defence, again denied a suggestion by Mr Ó Lideadha that she had kissed the accused man on the lips at any stage during the night.

The witness said he had spoken to a friend yesterday morning, who had been called as a prosecution witness, and asked him how the trial was going. He said he was asked if he would give evidence and agreed.

The witness told Mr Ó Lideadha he had heard the allegations of rape against the accused "a few days after" the alleged incident. He said he also knew the woman from living in the locality.

He said he had been "drinking solidly" that night, consuming about two pints an hour and agreed he was "drunk or on the way to being drunk" before he claims he saw the accused and the alleged victim kissing "mouth to mouth" in the pub.

He told Mr Ó Lideadha that, although he knew of the allegations "within days", he had not told anyone what he had observed at the time and would not have come forward if he had not seen the newspaper report.

The witness told prosecuting counsel Ms Pauline Walley SC (with Mr Garnet Orange BL), during cross examination, that although the report did not identify the alleged victim, the accused or the exact location of the offence, he knew it referred to his friend because he was aware that his case "was up".

He told Ms Walley that he did not mention what he claims to have seen to the gardai at any time because he "did not think it was relevant". He agreed it was possible it was a "birthday kiss".

The prosecution case ended earlier in the day after the jury watched several hours of videotaped Garda interviews with the accused man during which he denied the allegations against him.

The hearing continues before Mr Justice George Bermingham and a jury of six men and six women.