A CO KERRY factory worker has been found guilty of raping a neighbour who was giving him a lift three years ago.
Liam Sheehy (28), of Duagh, Listowel, was remanded in custody for sentence on March 28th by Mr Justice Morris at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin. His trial lasted five days.
The jury returned a 10-1 majority verdict that he raped his 29 year old neighbour in her car on July 5th, 1993, at Buckley's Cross. The State entered a nolle prosequi on each of two further charges of sexual assault and assault occasioning actual bodily harm on the same date.
The jury of three women and eight men failed to reach a verdict on Thursday evening after more than two hours deliberation. It took a further 50 minutes yesterday to reach the majority verdict.
Mr Justice Morris asked for victim impact and probation reports to be prepared.
Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC (with Ms Miriam Malone), prosecuting, said the victim did not wish to give evidence on her own behalf but did require a victim impact report.
The woman had told the jury that she had given Sheehy lifts on previous occasions. She met him and a male friend of his on the night of the incident in a Listowel fast food shop.
She said she threatened Sheehy that she would put him out of the car if he did not stop putting his hand on her leg. Just after she left Sheehy's friend at his house, Sheehy pulled up the handbrake, which stalled the car, and raped her.
Sheehy claimed in evidence that the woman had initiated the sexual activity. He said she told him he looked "cute" and "gorgeous" since he had lost weight, and ran her hand over his body.