Sex worker denies being jealous of rape accused's new relationship

The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and the jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.

A sex worker who claims she was raped in her home rejected the suggestion that she was jealous of the accused man being in a new relationship.

The 27-year-old defendant’s senior counsel Colman Cody said to the complainant: “The reason he went over on the 25th (the day of the disputed rape) was because he wanted to end things between himself and you.”

The complainant said: “No… when I was asking for the key back (weeks earlier) that was a chance to get away from me. He was in a relationship (with someone else) all throughout until the time of the assault.” 

Mr Cody SC asked: “You said you would like to have a baby with him?” She replied: “No.” Mr Cody said: “You did like him at some stage?” She replied: “At the start, but towards the end, no.” 

Mr Cody said: “You were jealous of his other relationship?” The complainant replied: “No.” The 27-year-old claims that what happened on September 25, 2017, was consensual and denies rape, sexual assault, organising prostitution and intimidation of a witness.

Testimony of complainant's sister and mother

The complainant’s sister said that after midnight about three weeks before the alleged rape, the accused man arrived at her parents’ home and was talking to her mother outside the door of the house for over an hour.

“There was a girl in her twenties in the car. He was telling my mom that (complainant’s Christian name) was a prostitute and alcoholic. He said she trashed her house and trashed his car. He said she was gone off the rails and they needed to know. He didn’t leave until about 2am. He stayed outside with his hood up,” the complainant’s sister testified.

This witness said the accused then started Snapchatting her and saying that she was more his type than her sister – the complainant – and began flirting with her on Snapchat. 

Mr Cody SC cross-examined her and asked: “Were you flirting with him?” The witness replied: “I could have been.” 

The mother of the complainant was also called as a witness in relation to the accused calling to her house late at night. She testified that the accused man said to her: “Keep (complainant’s name) away from me. She is a lunatic and a raving alcoholic.” 

Roisín Lacey, prosecution senior counsel, asked: “How long was he at the door?” The complainant’s mother replied: “Too long.” 

Mr Cody SC said the previous witness – her daughter – heard the defendant tell her that her other daughter, the complainant, was a prostitute. The witness said: “If he did, I didn’t hear it.” 

The complainant testified earlier in the trial that the defendant called to her home at around 5pm that Monday, September 25, 2017, picked her up, put her over his shoulder, carried her up the stairs, put her down on the bed, took off her pants and his pants and penetrated her vaginally and anally. 

The defence case is that what occurred was consensual and was no different to previous rough encounters they had consensually.

The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and the jury of six men and six women at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork.