Jurors in the trial of two men accused of raping a woman after she allegedly “blacked out” at a party have told a judge that they are “deadlocked”.

The trial began ten days ago at the Central Criminal Court. After deliberating for three hours, Ms Justice Eileen Creedon told the jury of nine men and three women that it is now open to them to return a majority verdict.

She said this is a verdict on which at least ten of them agree. She said this after the jury foreman said that the jurors were deadlocked regarding the charges against both men.

Ms ….read more

One of two men accused of raping a woman after she “blacked out” at a party told gardaí that he was being “set up” and believed the woman felt betrayed by him because he went back to the party after they had consensual sex.

The prosecution case is that on two occasions during the night, the woman came-to in a bedroom to find the defendants raping her.

The two Leitrim men have pleaded not guilty to rape in a flat in a town in the county on a date in 2017. The second accused also denies a charge of oral rape of ….read more

Two men accusing of raping a woman after she “blacked out” at a party did not care that she wasn’t consenting and took advantage of her, prosecution counsel has told their trial.

Eilis Brennan SC said that a lack of concern for the woman shown by the two defendants outside of the bedroom was “highly indicative” of a lack of concern inside the room.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court trial has heard evidence that the first accused talked about getting the woman out of the flat and that other men at the party were invited to go into the bedroom ….read more

One of two men accused of raping a woman after she blacked out at a party told others there that “he might go down and chance a blowjob”, a trial has heard.

The two Leitrim men have pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to rape in a flat in a Co Leitrim town on a date in 2017. The second accused also denies a charge of oral rape of the woman. The defendants and the complainant are now aged in their 20s and knew one another from school.

They and others were drinking at a party in a pub in ….read more

(Pictured: Boakye Osei. Credit: Collins)

A jury has found two men guilty of raping a “blind drunk” student who they brought back to their flat after a night out.

Boakye Osei (29) of Tooban, Burnfoot, Co Donegal and Kelvin Opoku (33) of Cill Graine, Letterkenny, Co Donegal had pleaded not guilty to rape of the woman in a town in the county in February 2015.

After a five-week trial a jury of seven men and four women took just over two hours to return unanimous guilty verdicts. Mr Justice Alex Owens ordered a Probation Service report for both men and certified them as ….read more

A woman has told a Central Criminal Court trial that she awoke twice from a drunken blackout to find two men raping her.

The alleged rapes took place at the end of a party in a flat in a Co Leitrim town. The woman has told the trial at the Central Criminal Court that she later heard male voices outside the door of the bedroom saying “you fucked her too so you can get her out”.

The two Leitrim men have pleaded not guilty to rape at a place in the county on a date in 2017. The second accused also denies ….read more

A man accused of raping a student who was allegedly too drunk to consent made no comment when told his semen was found on her underwear, his trial has heard.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court trial previously heard evidence that the defendant (29) had already told gardaí that he denies any sexual activity with the complainant.

He and a co-accused (33), both non-nationals living in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape of the woman in a town in the county in February 2015. The complainant is now aged in her 20s.

The prosecution ended its case on ….read more

One of two men on trial for raping a student who was allegedly too drunk to consent has denied that he and the co-accused “swapped over” sexual activity with the woman.

The jury at the Central Criminal Court heard that the defendant (29) told gardaí after his arrest that he did not go out that night with any intention to have sex and if he wanted sex he could go to his wife.

He and a co-accused (33), both non-nationals living in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape of the woman in a town in the county in ….read more

Semen belonging to a rape accused who denied having sex with a student was found on the alleged victim’s underwear, his trial has heard.

The man’s trial at the Central Criminal Court heard that the accused (29) told gardaí after his arrest that he did not engage in any sexual activity with the complainant.

He and a co-accused (33), both non-nationals living in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape of the woman in a town in the county in February 2015. The complainant is now aged in her 20s.

The woman has told the trial that she was too ….read more

Lawyers for a man who denies raping a student in Donegal after a night of drinking have said that gardai never offered him an interpreter.

The defendant (33), a non-national who resides in Donegal, was arrested the day after the alleged offence took place in his apartment.

He and a co-accused (29), who is also a non-national living in Donegal, have both pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape of the woman in a town in the county in February 2015. The complainant is now aged in her 20s.

Colman Fitzgerald SC, defending the older man, put it to gardaí that at ….read more