Cavan rape trial collapses

The trial of a County Cavan taxi-driver accused of raping a woman as he dropped her home from the pub has collapsed and the jury has been discharged.

The 61-year old taxi-driver will now go forward for a retrial at the Central Criminal Court.

He had pleaded not guilty to raping the 39-year-old woman in a secluded rural laneway on July 10, 2011.

Mr Justice Barry White explained that as certain witnesses had retracted their original statements, it would be only fair to discharge the jury and direct a retrial.

The case will come before court again to fix new trial date on June 23rd.