Cork trial told accused searched for information on rape kits online

Man says sex was consensual

The 28-year-old defendant, who was 25 at the time of the alleged incident, pleaded not guilty to the single count on the indictment of raping a woman on August 27, 2017. Picture: iStock

A young man accused of an early-hours rape of a 17-year-old girl commencing as she slept said he was sitting at the side of the bed chatting to her when she squeezed his hand and they began to have consensual sex.

The disputed incident occurred at around 5am and later that afternoon, when he became aware she was making a complaint of rape, he made internet searches asking, “How long does rape kits take to get results?”