Dublin firefighter found guilty of raping woman in Boston 

Terence Crosbie was accused of raping a 29-year-old American woman at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston after celebrating at the Black Rose bar on March 14, 2024. He pleaded not guilty. File picture

Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie has been found guilty of raping a woman in a Boston hotel.

The 39-year-old was visiting the US with Irish colleagues to participate in St Patrick’s Day celebrations when the incident took place in a hotel room he was sharing with a colleague.

The jury deliberated for three days before reaching a unanimous verdict.

Crosbie was accused of raping a 29-year-old American woman at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston after celebrating at the Black Rose bar on March 14, 2024. He pleaded not guilty.

His conviction comes after a previous trial last June ended in a hung jury.

Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland on March 14 last year and was scheduled to leave on Tuesday, March 18.

Daniel Reilly who delivered closing arguments for the defence last Wednesday emphasised Crosbie’s innocence and pointed to “reasonable doubt” in the case, in the form of no video or audio of the alleged attack and the “lack of” conclusive DNA evidence.

Mr Reilly said that his client’s testimony declaring himself “innocent” constitutes reasonable doubt and that the victim’s blood sample from the hospital Emergency Department she went to established that she was “inebriated”.

Erin Murphy, who delivered closing arguments for the prosecution, asked the jury to convict Crosbie.

Ms Murphy said the alleged victim had “no reason to lie” and gave a “detailed account of a stranger raping” her.

She pointed out that Crosbie exploited his colleague Liam O'Brien's "oblivion" whom he was sharing a room with after drinking to take advantage of the victim.

Doctors and nurses who interacted with the victim found her to be “clinically sober” with no evidence of intoxication. 

Ms Murphy noted that the defendant was the only other man in the room, there was no other activity in that room (from key use records) around that time period.

She claimed that the accused left early for Logan Airport because he knew he was caught.

Crosbie is due to be sentenced on October 30. He faces up to 20 tears in jail.

Crosbie has been in custody on a $50,000 bail at the Suffolk County Jail since his arrest.

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