Judge orders jury to acquit man in gang rape case

A jury has been ordered by a Central Criminal Court judge to acquit a man accused of taking part in the gang rape of a pregnant woman in County Monaghan.

Two other men are still charged with raping and imprisoning the woman in her home and beating her boyfriend unconcious.

The trial has reached its closing stages after ten days of evidence and the jury will resume its deliberations tomorrow before Mr Justice Barry White.

The first accused (aged 28) is alleged to have falsely imprisoned the woman, to have raped her orally, vaginally and anally and to have assaulted her and her partner causing them harm.

The second man (aged 20) is accused of assaulting the couple causing them harm, falsely imprisoning the woman and vaginal and oral rape.

The third man (aged 20) was accused of vaginal rape before Mr Justice White ordered the jury of seven men and five women to find him not guilty.

All three have pleaded not guilty to all counts. The attacks are alleged to have taken place between November 15 and November 19, 2010.