Case against Cork man accused of rape and false imprisonment delayed by second technicality

Another technical reason prevented service of the book of evidence last week

Once the book of evidence is served the case will be sent forward from Cork District Court to be dealt with at the Central Criminal Court. File picture: Larry Cummins

The book of evidence could not be served on Monday on a 44-year-old man accused of falsely imprisoning and raping a woman at her home in Cork city while he was carrying two knives, because the judge found that the number on one of the charges was incorrect.

Judge Dorgan adjourned the case until March 30 so that the book could be served again. This will be the third time for the case to be listed for service of a book of evidence. 

Another technical reason — unrelated to the actual book of evidence — prevented service of the book last week. The accused man is on bail.

Detective Garda Patrick Houlihan charged the accused last month with raping the woman at her home in Cork, and he replied: “She wanted to have sex with me. I did not do anything against her.” 

To the charge of being in possession of two knives contrary to the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act at the time of the alleged incident, the accused man said: “She agreed with it, she called me there.” 

Thirdly, he was accused of falsely imprisoning the woman and he replied: “It is not true.” Once the book of evidence is served the case will be sent forward from Cork District Court to be dealt with at the Central Criminal Court.

The defendant was previously charged with assaulting the woman contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, represented the accused man in Cork District Court on Monday.

The case arose of the investigation of a reported incident at 9am on February 10, 2025, at a location in Cork City where it was alleged that a man fled from the scene and was found with the assistance of a garda helicopter on waste ground nearby.

It was alleged that a man forced his way into a house where he threatened a woman, who was at home alone with a child, and subjected her to a serious assault. Gardaí cordoned off the area outside this house.

It was further reported that the woman managed to get free at around 9.40am on the day one year ago, where it was alleged that the woman had to take her child with her, and run outside in her slippers to a premises across the road from her house and that she suffered slash wounds from a bladed instrument during her struggle to escape.

Identification of parties to the case is legally prohibited.