A student was raped in a lane near Letterkenny, Co Donegal, the
Central Criminal Court heard yesterday. A 34-year-old man pleaded not guilty to raping the now 24-year-old woman twice early on June 1st,
1995. A jury has been sworn in to try the case, which is being heard by Mrs Justice McGuinness.
Opening the case, Mr Kenneth Mills SC (with Ms Miriam Reynolds)
prosecuting, said the alleged victim and her friends had gone to a
Letterkenny nightclub.
The woman danced with a man there. At about 2 a.m. he agreed to give her a lift home, and a second man, who had a hood pulled over his head, got into the back seat.
Mr Mills said the woman believed the man with the hood was to be dropped first. But both men got from the car and spoke out of earshot. She asked to be brought home.
The hooded man took over the driving, said he would leave her home, but allegedly brought her to a lane and raped her, said counsel. At 4.15 a.m. he said he would drive her home. A Garda patrol car stopped the car. The woman told the gardai she had been raped.
The trial continues today.