Rape trial hears accused and alleged victim exchanged 37 text messages

The trial of a man accused of raping his friend in Dublin has heard there were 37 messages exchanged between them in the days that followed.

The man, who was 21 at the time of the alleged rape, claims he was sleepwalking when he had sex with her in September 2008.

The man, who is now aged 29, is facing one charge of rape.

It is alleged to have happened at an apartment in Dublin in the early hours of September 28, 2008.

They were sharing a bed after a night out and she told the jury she awoke to find her friend on top of her having sex with her.

She said he suggested she get the morning after pill before she pushed him off her and left.

Today, the court heard there were 37 text messages exchanged between their phones in the week that followed the alleged rape.

She was initially reluctant to go to Gardaí and told him to seek help. He agreed to go to the rape crisis centre, the jury was told.

The woman decided to make a complaint a few months later and during a Garda interview, the man claimed he was sleepwalking at the time and had no recollection of what happened – the question of whether he was sleepwalking will be central to the case.

The trial will resume tomorrow.