In a shocking case that has shaken the community, three men are standing trial for the alleged rape of a teenager in a hotel car park. The trial, which begins today, has garnered widespread attention and sparked a national conversation about sexual assault and consent. The victim’s story has been met with an outpouring of support, and many are hopeful that justice will be served. As the trial gets underway, all eyes are on the courtroom to see how the case will unfold.
Three men are currently standing trial for allegedly raping and sexually assaulting a 17-year-old girl in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on December 20th, 2017. The trial, which began at the Central Criminal Court, is expected to last for six weeks.
The first defendant (22) has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. The second defendant (23) has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. The third defendant (22) has pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of oral rape. As the trial is ongoing and the charges are yet to be proven, the men cannot be named for legal reasons.
The complainant, who testified on Tuesday, stated that she left her home at around 6pm after a friend texted her to go for a drive. Although her friend initially did not disclose with whom they were going, she expected her friend’s cousin to be there. When they met up, the complainant’s friend informed her that they were going to go for a drive with boys she knew. The complainant said that they used her phone to contact the boys and she overheard them use slang that referred to sex while talking to her friend, who refused.
As they were socialising, a car with four male passengers arrived. The complainant said she was told the name of one boy, but did not know who they were at that point. Her friend and another person went to the car, and the complainant followed her friend when she got into the car.
The car drove for a while and then stopped outside a house. The complainant got out of the car, and the boys panicked and told her to get back in. One of the four boys got out of the car and got into another vehicle. The complainant did not know where they were, but saw signs for the area and the hotel. The car drove into the hotel grounds and then onto a “country road” into a “big open land” with “nothing in it”.
When the complainant got out of the car and walked away, the first defendant stopped her and began kissing her. He then undid her jeans, put his hands down her trousers, and touched her vagina. She was shocked when he undid her belt. Despite the complainant’s refusal, the first defendant persisted and took her to the car.
The first defendant made her sit in the front passenger seat and attempted to remove her trousers. She declined his advances, but he did not listen and even got on top of her, attempting to have sex with her. The second defendant then entered the car and asked for a threesome. Although she declined, he took her hand and “used it to give himself a w*nk”. At the same time, the first defendant was still having sex with her.
When the first defendant finished, the second defendant then had sex with her and also used his fingers. He then attempted to have oral sex with her, which she refused, but he became increasingly aggressive, and she eventually gave in. The third defendant then asked for oral sex, and she initially refused before ultimately complying with his demands.
The trial also heard that two days after the alleged incident, the complainant told her mother what happened, and they went to the police on December 27th, 2017. The jury will consider the allegations made by the complainant against the three defendants.
Rape and sexual assault are serious crimes and can have a severe impact on the victim’s life. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence or abuse, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800 77 8888 or access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/. In the case of an emergency, always dial 999/112.
