Image: Leah Farrell Image: Leah Farrell A WESTMEATH MAN has been found not guilty of raping a woman after they met at a New Year’s Eve ball at a GAA clubhouse, in what was the first jury trial to conclude at the Central Criminal Court since the Covid-19 lockdown.The complainant was visiting a friend and had planned to spend the night in that woman’s home after going to a ball in the local GAA clubhouse. She met the accused, who was of a similar age, and they were kissing in the clubhouse.
She said that she told him there would be no sexual activity and he agreed but that minutes after entering his home he attacked and raped her in his sitting room. The accused told the jury that he and the woman never discussed what would happen in the house in advance of going back and that all sexual activity that night was consensual.
After a 10-day trial, the jury of five women and seven men spent 3 hours and 38 minutes in deliberations. On Tuesday, the jury came back with a unanimous verdict of not guilty.
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