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Closing stages in trial of Galway man accused of oral rape
Galway Bay fm newsroom:
The trial of a Galway man accused of orally raping a woman while giving her a lift home has reached its closing stages
The Central Criminal Court heard that the man told gardaí they had a consensual encounter which “felt chemical”
The 46 year old man who can’t be named for legal reasons, has pleaded NOT GUILTY to one charge of oral rape at a Galway location in the early hours of November 5, 2015.
A local detective told Paul Burns SC, prosecuting, that the man said the complainant had indicated to him that he could drive towards this vantage point during the lift.
The accused said they hugged each other at this location and had a “fairly passionate kiss” before he pulled his van about 20 meters into a nearby housing estate.
He said the encounter lasted only a few seconds before the complainant started repeating, “I’ve a boyfriend”.
The man said she then put her head back in the vehicle and “seemed suddenly out of it” by being unresponsive.
He told gardaí that the complainant sprang upright again and started shouting at him to get away from her.
He said she demanded her phone and wanted him to drive her to a garda station.
The detective told Mr Burns that the accused said he drove off feeling “panicky” when the complainant got out of his van.
He said he got home and went to bed “very shook”, but didn’t sleep.
The detective agreed that the accused later answered all Garda questions voluntarily and had no previous convictions.
The trial has reached its closing stages before Ms Justice Eileen Creedon and a jury of four women and eight men. It resumes tomorrow.
The death has occurred of the former Bishop of Galway, Kilmacduagh and Kilfenora Martin Drennan, six years after he announced his retirement on health grounds. He was aged 78.
The Galway Diocesan Office confirmed the death this (Saturday) afternoon of the Bishop and Apostolic Administrator Emeritus, who oversaw the Diocese for eleven years.
Born on January 2, 1944 in Piltown, County Kilkenny, he studied for the priesthood at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, from where he was ordained to the priesthood in 1968. His brother Michael is also a priest.
Following his ordination, he continued his studies in Rome where he was awarded a Licentiate in both sacred theology and sacred scripture. He returned to Rome in 1980 to become spiritual director at the Pontifical Irish College for the next five years.
He became a lecturer in sacred scripture at Saint Patrick’s College, Maynooth, where he continued to teach until his appointment as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin in 1997 with responsibility for East Wicklow and South Dublin.
Following the retirement of Bishop James McLoughlin, Bishop Drennan was appointed Bishop of Galway and Kilmacduagh and Apostolic Administrator of Kilfenora and he was installed on July 3, 2005 in Galway Cathedral.
Outgoing Cllr Terry O’Flaherty (Ind) is on course to retain her City Council seat – and top the poll in City East.
With 33% of the boxes tallied, Cllr O’Flaherty is polling strongly, particularly in Renmore.
Michael John Crowe is ahead of his running mate Alan Cheevers for the Fianna Fáil vote, according to the early figures, although that could change when Doughiska and Roscam boxes are opened.
The Green Party’s Claire Hillery is on about 7%, with Fine Gael on 10% and Sinn Fein on 5%.
The opening of boxes for the local elections began at 9am this morning in Leisureland when the tallymen (and women) kicked into gear.
As regards the Galway County Council elections, the smaller areas are being opened first which means that the four-seater Connemara North boxes will be first in the pecking order.
It will be followed by Gort-Kinvara (5 seats), Connemara South (5 seats), Athenry-Oranmore (7 seats), Ballinasloe (6 seats), Loughrea (5 seats) and finally Tuam (7 seats).
The boxes in these areas will be opened and tallied in that particular order before being transferred to the Galway Lawn Tennis Club on Threadneedle Road where the counting will commence around mid-morning.
That is when the fun will really begin – although the tallies should give a good indication as to where most of the seats are destined.
As regards the city, the Galway City East boxes were opened first, followed by Galway City Central and finally Galway City West. These votes will be transferred to the Westside Centre by around 11am for counting.
There are 39 seats on Galway County Council to be filled with 18 on Galway City Council. The City Council count is expected to conclude on Saturday night but the County Council count – with seven electoral areas to be filled – could well go into Monday.
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