Man accused of raping pensioner 'power-washed her house', court hears

A Monaghan man charged with raping an 86-year-old woman in her home initially denied in garda interviews that he had ever been in the woman's home but later claimed to have helped a relative "power-wash" her house.

The man told gardaí that while power-washing the house about five months previously they had fitted the hose onto the sink in the kitchen or bathroom of the house and he had used the toilet. He could not explain how his fingerprints could have been found in a bedroom of the house.

The 35-year-old man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping the woman on June 16, 2008 and to burglary of her home with intent to steal on the same occasion.

Garda Adrian Durkan told prosecuting counsel, Mr Tom O'Connell SC (with Mr Paul Carroll BL), that he went to the home of the accused man's wife on June 16 last and after interviewing her went to a different address where he could see the accused man asleep.

He said he knocked and the accused came to the door. His first impression was that the accused appeared dishevelled and was "suffering the after effects of alcohol".

He said he arrested him at 6.05pm and brought him to a garda station where he consented to being photographed and fingerprinted. He said the man did not sign notes of interviews because he said he could not read or write.

Gda Durkan said during interview the accused man denied raping the woman. He said he had been in his father's house that night and had remained there until the next morning. He denied ever being in the victim's house or having an intimate relationship with her.

Garda Caroline Griffin told Mr Carroll that she was the member in charge at the station the man was brought to after his arrest. She said she asked him to sign the custody record and he did so without problem.

Gda Griffin said the man requested a phone call to his wife but she refused at that point as she felt it might hinder the investigation.

She told defence counsel, Mr Patrick MacEntee SC (with Mr Fergal Foley BL), that she refused the man permission to ring his wife on two occasions but allowed him make a call to her later in the presence of a garda.

Garda John Grant told Mr O'Connell that he was present when the man was interviewed the following day. He said the man told him he had been at the victim's house about five months previously when he was helping a relative who had been power-washing the woman's house. He said he did not go inside.

Gda Grant said when he asked the man to explain how his fingerprints had been found inside the house he said they had fitted the hose onto the sink in the kitchen or bathroom of the house and he had used the toilet.

When asked how his fingerprints had been found in the bedroom he replied: "I can't explain that."

Gda Grant agreed with Mr O'Connell that the accused denied at all time that he had made any inappropriate contact with the victim.

The trial continues before Mr Justice George Birmingham and a jury of four women and eight men.