Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 21876Rape, sexual assault, oral rape · 20 Dec 2017

Three men on trial for rape and sexual assault in Leinster

A 17-year-old woman was allegedly raped and sexually assaulted by three men in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on 20 December 2017 after getting into a car with a friend who said they were going for a drive. She reported the incident to gardaí on 27 December 2017 and was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit. Three men, aged 22, 23 and 22, were charged with counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault, and all pleaded not guilty. The trial opened at the Central Criminal Court on 14 March 2023 before Ms Justice Melanie Greally, and the complainant was under cross-examination by 17 March 2023.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court14 Mar
    4 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • A 17-year-old woman was allegedly raped and sexually assaulted by three men after getting into a car with a friend who said they were going for a drive.
  • The complainant said she refused sex and that the three men had sex with her one after the other.
Where
The alleged offences took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area.
When
The alleged offences occurred on 20 December 2017.
Investigation
  • The complainant made a statement to gardaí on 27 December 2017 and was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit.
  • CCTV footage and crime-scene photographs of the hotel and car park were shown to the jury.
Charges
Three men, aged 22, 23 and 22, were charged with counts of rape, oral rape and sexual assault, and all pleaded not guilty.
In court
  • The trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury, with Alice Fawsitt SC prosecuting.
  • The trial opened on 14 March 2023 and is expected to last six weeks.
Other details
The complainant gave evidence via video-link and was under cross-examination by defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC by 17 March 2023.
46 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe complainant was 17 at the time of the alleged offences. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman was 17 at the time of the alleged assault. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe woman got into a car with a friend who said they were going for a drive with some boys. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe car was driven to the grounds of a hotel. (rte.ie)
  • whatOne defendant did not listen to her when she refused to have sex. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe three men had sex with her one after the other. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe woman said she was in shock and could not believe what had happened. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe day after the alleged assaults she was unable to go to work because she could not stop crying. (rte.ie)
  • whatShe went to a friend's house, turned off her phone, and was unable to go to work. (rte.ie)
  • whatHer mother contacted her when she discovered she had not been in work and her phone was switched off. (rte.ie)
  • whatShe said she waited to make a statement because she was afraid. (rte.ie)
  • whatThe woman was aged 17 at the time of the alleged incident. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant walked ten minutes to a friend's house where she used the toilet and found fluid coming out. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant went to a pharmacy the next day and got the morning after pill. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant texted her boss to say she had a stomach bug and spent the day in a friend's house. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe woman was aged 17 at the time of the incident. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe woman said she said no to all three defendants. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe offences allegedly took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe alleged offences took place in a hotel car park. (rte.ie)
  • whereThe alleged incident took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereThe offence occurred at a hotel car park in the Leinster area. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe offences are alleged to have occurred on 20 December 2017. (thejournal.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenThe complainant left her home at around 6pm after a friend texted her to go for a drive. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenThe alleged rape took place on 20 December 2017. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe complainant went to gardaí on 27 December 2017. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationA compilation of CCTV and still images from the CCTV were shown to the jury. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationPhotos of the hotel, car park and environs were taken by a garda scenes of crime officer and shown to the jury. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationShe was examined at a sexual assault treatment unit and made a statement to gardaí. (rte.ie)
  • investigationShe handed over the clothes she had been wearing that night to gardaí. (rte.ie)
  • investigationShe made her statement to gardaí on 27 December 2017. (rte.ie)
  • investigationShe went on Facebook and did searches in order to give names to gardaí. (rte.ie)
  • investigationThe complainant's mother made an appointment for her at a sexual assault treatment unit. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe complainant gave her clothes from the night in question to gardaí. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe complainant carried out searches on Facebook and gave various names to gardaí. (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. (thejournal.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. (thejournal.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe third defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of oral rape. (thejournal.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe first defendant, now aged 22, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of sexual assault. (rte.ie)
  • chargeThe second defendant, now aged 23, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape, one count of oral rape and two counts of sexual assault. (rte.ie)
  • chargeThe third defendant, now aged 22, pleaded not guilty to one count of rape and one count of oral rape. (rte.ie)
  • courtThe trial is expected to last six weeks. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe trial is being heard before Ms Justice Melanie Greally. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtAlice Fawsitt SC is prosecuting. (thejournal.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury. (rte.ie, leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial is being held at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtThe woman gave evidence via video-link on the fourth day of the trial. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 17 Mar2023
    In courtthejournal.ie, follow-up
    Woman allegedly raped by three men in car park tells trial she believed she was 'going for a drive'

    Fourth day of the trial; the complainant is under cross-examination by defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC. She describes believing she was going for a drive, being in shock, and telling a friend she had been forced to have sex. The trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.

    victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 22, male
  2. 15 Mar2023
    In courtleinsterexpress.ie, its first report
    Court told of 'victim's shock' after alleged gang rape in 'Leinster area' by three young men

    Third day of trial; complainant testifies about being in shock the following day, walking to a friend's house, getting the morning after pill, and making a complaint to gardaí on 27 December 2017. All three defendants have pleaded not guilty.

    victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 22, male
  3. 15 Mar2023
    In courtrte.ie, its first report
    Woman tells court of shock after alleged rape by 3 men

    Second day of the complainant's evidence at the Central Criminal Court trial; she described the aftermath of the alleged assault, including seeking the morning-after pill, being unable to go to work, and making a statement to gardaí on 27 December 2017.

    victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 22, male
  4. 14 Mar2023
    In courtthejournal.ie, first report
    Trial opens of three men accused of rape and sexual assault of woman in hotel car park

    Trial opened at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally; the complainant gave evidence describing the alleged offences; all three defendants pleaded not guilty; CCTV and crime-scene photos were shown to the jury; trial expected to last six weeks.

    suspect, 22, malesuspect, 23, malesuspect, 22, malevictim, 17, female