Ireland Hung jury in Leinster hotel car park rape trial
The prosecution say a then 17-year-old woman was raped in turn by three men in a car at a hotel car park in the Leinster area on 20 December 2017, after she got into a car with a friend. The complainant said she told all three defendants no when they asked for sex, while the defendants, who were aged 17 and 18 at the time, say the sex was consensual. The three men, now aged 22 and 23, pleaded not guilty to charges including rape, oral rape and sexual assault at the Central Criminal Court before Justice Melanie Greally. After a three-week trial and just over nine hours of deliberation, the jury of six men and six women returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts on 5 April 2023. The case was adjourned for mention to 28 April 2023.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court4 Apr
5 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- The prosecution say the then 17-year-old woman was raped in turn by three men in a car after she got into one with a friend.
- The complainant said she told all three defendants no when they asked for sex, while the defendants, who were aged 17 and 18 at the time, say the sex was consensual.
- Where
- The alleged offences took place in a car at a hotel car park in the Leinster area.
- When
- The offences are alleged to have occurred on 20 December 2017.
- Investigation
- The complainant did not make a complaint to gardaí until 27 December 2017.
- Charges
- The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault; the second, aged 23, to rape, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault; the third, aged 23, to rape and oral rape.
- In court
- The trial ran at the Central Criminal Court before Justice Melanie Greally from March 2023.
- The jury of six men and six women deliberated for just over nine hours and returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts on 5 April 2023.
- The case was adjourned for mention to 28 April 2023.
- Other details
- The complainant is entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act, and the defendants are entitled to anonymity unless convicted.
40 statements extracted from the articles
- whatThe prosecution say the woman was raped by the men after getting into a car with a friend (rte.ie)
- whatThe victim was a then 17-year-old girl (rte.ie)
- whatThe complainant said she said no to all three defendants' requests for sex. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatAt the time of the incident, two defendants were aged 17 and one had just turned 18. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatA hotel security guard spoke with a man sitting in the driver's seat of one of the cars. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whatThe complainant was 17 at the time of the alleged incident. (irishtimes.com)
- whatTwo of the defendants were 17 and one had just turned 18 at the time of the alleged offence. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe complainant was 17 at the time of the alleged offence. (rte.ie)
- whatTwo of the defendants were 17 and one had just turned 18 at the time of the offence. (rte.ie)
- whatThe defendants say they had consensual sex with the complainant. (rte.ie)
- whatThe complainant's evidence was that she said no to the defendants' requests for sex. (rte.ie)
- whereThe alleged rape took place in a car at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. (leinsterexpress.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whereThe alleged rape took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. (rte.ie)
- whenThe offences were alleged to have occurred on 20 December 2017 at a hotel car park in the Leinster area (rte.ie)
- whenThe offences are alleged to have occurred on December 20, 2017. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- whenThe alleged offences occurred on 20 December 2017. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe offences are alleged to have occurred on 20 December 2017. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe complainant did not make a complaint to gardaí until December 27, 2017. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- chargeThe first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault (rte.ie, leinsterexpress.ie, irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault (rte.ie, leinsterexpress.ie, irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe third defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape (rte.ie, leinsterexpress.ie, irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe three men were on trial for rape. (extra.ie)
- courtThe jury began deliberating on Friday 3 April 2023 (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury had been considering verdicts for almost eight hours before being sent home (rte.ie)
- courtMs Justice Melanie Greally told the jury she could accept verdicts on which at least ten of them agree (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury failed to agree on verdicts in the rape trial. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe trial was held at the Central Criminal Court before Justice Melanie Greally. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe jury deliberated for just over nine hours. (leinsterexpress.ie, rte.ie)
- courtThe jury returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts. (leinsterexpress.ie, irishtimes.com, rte.ie)
- courtThe case was adjourned for mention to April 28. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe trial had been running at the Central Criminal Court since March. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe complainant is entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act. (leinsterexpress.ie)
- courtThe trial was held at the Central Criminal Court and had been running since March. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury of six men and six women deliberated for just over nine hours before failing to reach a verdict. (irishtimes.com)
- courtJustice Melanie Greally adjourned the case for mention to 28 April. (irishtimes.com, rte.ie)
- courtThe jury was instructed that a majority verdict of ten or more jurors could be accepted. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury failed to agree verdicts in the rape trial. (rte.ie)
- courtThe trial ran at the Central Criminal Court since March 2023. (rte.ie)
- courtThe defendants are entitled to anonymity under the 1981 Rape Act unless convicted. (rte.ie)
- courtThe jury was unable to agree on verdicts in the trial. (extra.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 7 Apr2023Jury Unable To Agree Verdicts In Rape Trial Of Three Men
Reports that the jury was unable to reach verdicts in a rape trial of three men.
accused, maleaccused, maleaccused, male - 5 Apr2023Jury in rape trial fails to agree verdicts
Jury of 12 (six men, six women) deliberated for just over nine hours and returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts. Justice Melanie Greally adjourned the case for mention to 28 April 2023. Prosecuting counsel Alice Fawsitt SC and defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC, Garnet Orange SC and Mr Nicholas SC delivered closing addresses.
victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 23, male - 5 Apr2023Jury fails to agree verdict in trial over alleged rape in hotel car park
The jury returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts after deliberating for just over nine hours. The case was adjourned for mention to 28 April 2023.
victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 23, male - 5 Apr2023Jury returns in Leinster hotel car park rape trial
Jury of six men and six women deliberated for just over nine hours and returned verdicts of disagreed on all eight counts; case adjourned for mention to April 28, 2023.
victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 23, male - 4 Apr2023Jury in rape trial sent home for night
The jury began deliberating on Friday 3 April 2023 and was sent home on Tuesday 4 April 2023 after almost eight hours. Ms Justice Greally accepted verdicts on which at least ten jurors agree. The jury will resume deliberating on Wednesday 5 April 2023.
victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 23, male