29-04-2025
Married farmer gave vulnerable man €150 cash after anally raping him, court told
A married farmer gave a vulnerable younger man €150 cash after anally raping him and telling him he wasn't able to have sex with his own wife, the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Limerick, heard on Tuesday.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reaons, had pleaded not guilty to a total of three offences, including two counts of anally raping the alleged victim, and, one count of engaging in a sexual act with a protective person who lacked the capacity to consent to the sexual act.
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Opening the case, prosecuting barrister, senior counsel Fionnuala O'Sullivan, said the alleged sex acts by the accused were revealed when the alleged victim made a disclosure to his GP in April 2019.
Gardaí were alerted on foot of these serious allegations, and later conducted separate interviews with the alleged victim and the accused.
Ms O'Sullivan said that the alleged victim told gardaí that the accused told him that he couldn't have sex with his wife before anally raping him on January 6th, 2011.
'He (the alleged victim) said he told the accused 'No', and that he didn't want to do it,' said Ms O'Sullivan, instructed by Lily Buckley, BL, and Aoife O'Halloran, Chief State Solicitors Office.
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Ms O'Sullivan said the alleged victim further alleged that the accused anally raped him again on April 7th, 2019.
Outlining the second alleged rape, at the alleged victim's home, Ms O'Sullivan said the alleged victim told gardaí that the accused told him he needed to do some exercises and removed his underwear.
Ms O'Sullivan said the alleged victim told gardaí that the accused proceeded to feel his testicles, anally raped him, 'ejaculated on the floor', and 'left €150 in cash on a radiator'.
Ms O'Sullivan said that the accused, in his interview with gardaí, 'accepted that some sexual activity had occurred, but he denied rape and penal penetration of the (alleged victim's) anus'.
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The accused, represented by senior defence counsel, Mark Nicholas, instructed by barrister Liam Carroll, and solicitor, Sarah Ryan, denies all the charges.
Ms O'Sullivan told the sworn-in jury that the accused does not have to prove anything and is presumed innocent.
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The prosecuting barrister said the prosecution's job is to prove its case against the accused 'beyond a reasonable doubt'.
'If you have a doubt, you have an obligation to acquit the accused,' she told the jury.
The trial, before Ms Justice Mary Ellen Ring, continues later today and is due to last up to two weeks.
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at or visit Rape Crisis Help.
