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. 21714Rape; sexual assault; oral rape · 20 Dec 2017

Three men on trial for rape in Leinster hotel car park

Three men, aged 22 and 23, are on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of raping a 17-year-old woman in a hotel car park in the Leinster area on 20 December 2017. The complainant told the jury she said no to the defendants' requests for sex and became scared during a row in the car, while the first defendant claimed all interactions were consensual. The defendants, who are members of the Travelling community, deny the offences. Closing speeches for the first two defendants were delivered on 29 March 2023, and the trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In court27 Mar
    3 reports
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Three men are on trial accused of raping a 17-year-old woman in a hotel car park.
  • The complainant said no to the defendants' requests for sex and became scared during a row in the car on the journey to the hotel car park.
  • The first defendant claimed all interactions were consensual and that no rape was screamed, while the third defendant said the complainant suggested sex in the back of the car and was happy and laughing.
Where
The alleged offences took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area.
When
The offences are alleged to have occurred on 20 December 2017.
Investigation
The forensic evidence supports the complainant's account, but no DNA evidence relating to the first defendant was found.
Charges
  • The first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault.
  • The second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault.
  • The third defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape.
In court
  • The trial is at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury.
  • Closing speeches for the first two defendants were delivered on 29 March 2023, with the third defendant's closing speech due the following day.
Other details
  • The defendants are members of the Travelling community.
  • The complainant did not speak to gardaí until 27 December 2017.
43 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatThe complainant was aged 17 at the time of the alleged offences (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe first defendant said he put his hands down the complainant's pants and then asked her for sex (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe second defendant came to the car window and asked for a threesome (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe first defendant said he left the car and walked around the car park while the second defendant and the complainant were in the car together (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe first defendant said he told the complainant to add him on social media and they would meet up at a later date (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe first defendant said he heard the complainant's friend say on a phone call that she would have sex with the four men if they came over (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe first defendant said he hadn't met the girls before that evening (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe first defendant said he was only in the car with the complainant for five minutes and re-iterated that they didn't have sex (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatTwo girls present at the train station told the jury they saw the complainant get into the car before her friend (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatOne witness said the complainant's friend showed them a photo of the third defendant and she later found out they are distant relatives (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe witness said the complainant and her friend, along with the four men, were encouraging her to get in the car but she refused (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe witness said she messaged both the complainant and her friend later that night and they both replied they were fine (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant was 17 years old at the time of the incident (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant said no to the three defendants' requests for sex (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant became scared during a row in the car about sex on the journey to the hotel car park (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant heard her friend refuse the third defendant's request for sex during a phone call (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe events took place within 30 minutes (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe fourth man present at the hotel car park has no connection to the complainant or the relevant car (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe two women were in separate cars in the hotel car park (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe third defendant said the complainant suggested they have sex in the back of the car (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe third defendant said the complainant was happy and laughing with no signs of forcing (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThree men are on trial accused of raping a woman in a hotel car park (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe parties involved were around 17 years old at the time of the alleged offence (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatThe complainant did not speak to gardaí until 27 December 2017 (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whatSocial media apps were removed from the complainant's phone (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whereThe alleged offence took place at a hotel car park in the Leinster area (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • whenThe offences are alleged to have occurred on 20 December 2017 (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationThe forensic evidence supports the complainant's account (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • investigationNo DNA evidence relating to the first defendant was found (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe first defendant, aged 22, pleaded not guilty to rape and sexual assault (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe second defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape and two counts of sexual assault (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • chargeThe third defendant, aged 23, pleaded not guilty to rape and oral rape (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial is at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and a jury (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe first defendant's defence counsel is Michael O'Higgins SC (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe second defendant's defence counsel is Garnet Orange SC (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe prosecuting counsel is Alice Fawsitt SC (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtClosing speeches began on the tenth day of the trial (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally and the jury (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtThe trial is being heard at the Central Criminal Court before Ms Justice Melanie Greally (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • courtClosing speeches for the first two defendants were delivered on 29 March 2023 (leinsterexpress.ie)
  • otherThe defendants are members of the Travelling community (leinsterexpress.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 29 Mar2023
    In courtleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    "Good grounds for considering that going for a drive is a euphemism for what happened that night" - Leinster gang rape trial told

    Covers closing speeches by defence counsel Michael O'Higgins SC and Garnet Orange SC for the first and second defendants at the Central Criminal Court trial; the third defendant's closing speech is due the following day.

    victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, male, irish (judged from name)accused, 23, maleaccused, 23, male
  2. 28 Mar2023
    In courtleinsterexpress.ie, follow-up
    'Getting into a car with four lads is not consent to sex' - Leinster hotel car park gang rape trial told

    Closing speeches in the gang rape trial; prosecution argued getting into a car is not consent to sex; third defendant's evidence detailed including his account of the evening and his denial of rape.

    victim, 17, femaleaccused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 23, male
  3. 27 Mar2023
    In courtleinsterexpress.ie, first report
    Leinster gang rape trial told 'no rape was screamed'

    Ninth day of trial; first defendant gives evidence claiming all interactions were consensual; two female witnesses from the train station also give evidence; trial continues before Ms Justice Melanie Greally.

    accused, 22, maleaccused, 23, maleaccused, 23, malevictim, 17, female