Man (33) pleads not guilty to rape

A Westmeath man has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court accused of raping a woman at his home three years ago.

The 33-year-old man pleaded not guilty to anal rape on January 1st, 2017.

The trial is the first that has taken place in the Courts of Criminal Justice since the pandemic. Potential jurors were called in one by one, where normally 16 or 20 jurors would be asked to stand in the jury box before being sworn in.

Mr Justice Paul McDermott advised the jury panel, before selection, that “this is the first trial to take place since lockdown”. Special arrangements have been made because of Covid-19 following “extensive consultation with health authorities”.

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Masks and gloves

The two-metre social distance rule will be followed in all rooms, he said, and the panel can wear face masks and gloves .The rooms will be rigorously cleaned each day and the air conditioning system is of high quality.

Mr Justice McDermott said hand washing and social distancing are adhered to throughout the courts complex before he advised that, once the jury were empanelled, they would be spaced out in the courtroom to allow for social distancing.

Minimising risk

He said that protective screens had also been put in place. The judge told the panel that he really appreciated them answering their jury service at this time and referring to the measures that had been put in place, he said “the whole object of the exercise is to minimise risk”. He told the jurors that they could bring anything they want to his attention during the course of the trial.

During the jury empanelling, Mr Justice McDermott wore a mask, as did one jury minder, while the second jury minder wore a face shield.

Five jurors wore masks and six of the sworn in jurors were escorted to single spaced-out chairs at the back of the courtroom rather than sitting in the jury box, which would be the normal practice. The remaining six jurors sat in spaced out seating in the jury box.

The trial which is expected to last seven days is to open before the jury of seven men and five women on Tuesday.