Rape trial concludes with forensic evidence

The prosecution has concluded its evidence in the Central Criminal Court trial of an English man accused of raping a woman in a Dublin hotel bathroom while her friend slept in the next room.

The 54-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape and sexual assault of the woman, whom he had met earlier that night in a pub, on March 20, 2007.

He has also pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill the woman and threatening her that he would kill her sleeping friend.

He has pleaded guilty to assaulting the woman causing her harm on the same occasion.

Forensic scientist Dr Clara Boland earlier told Ms Mary Rose Gearty BL (with Ms Pauline Walley SC), prosecuting, that her findings "strongly support" the contention that the alleged victim performed oral sex on the accused while bleeding.

She based this on findings of saliva and blood on the accused man's boxer shorts.

Her colleague, Dr Edward Connolly, forensic scientist, told Ms Walley that when he analysed the boxer shorts he found the major DNA profile matched that of the alleged victim, the minor DNA profile matched the accused man and there was a trace element from another source.

He said penile swabs taken from the accused showed no foreign source of DNA.

Dr Connolly agreed with defence counsel, Mr Conor Devally SC (with Mr Paul Carroll BL), during cross examination, that he was unable to get a DNA profile from a bloodstained towel found at the scene.

He told Mr Devally that it was "not his area of expertise" when asked if he could exclude the possibility that the towel had been responsible for the blood stains on the accused man's boxer shorts.

The trial continues before Mr Justice George Birmingham and a jury of five men and seven women.