A Co Sligo man accused of raping a woman in a house claimed she consented to sex with him, a garda told the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
The accused readily agreed to hand over the front-door key of the house to allow gardai to photograph the living room where it is alleged the incident took place, the garda said.
He told Ms Anthony Sammon SC, prosecuting, that a colleague was interviewing the accused on July 31st, 1997. The garda said he asked the accused if he had raped the woman and he said she had consented to sexual intercourse.
The garda was giving evidence on the fourth day of the trial of a 50-year-old Co Sligo man who denies raping a 43-year-old woman on July 26th, 1996.
The woman's partner said he contacted i the Garda on July 30th, 1996, after she alleged she had been the victim of attempted rape.
She has already told the court she had not intended notifying the i Garda of the alleged rape. She was in turmoil when she saw gardai arriving at the house.
Another garda said she went to the alleged victim's home and took a statement from the woman. The next day she went to the accused man's workplace and arrested him for the alleged rape.
The garda said the accused was taken to an interview room and she was replaced by a male garda. It was sometimes easier for male gardai to speak to male accused persons and vice versa.
Cross-examined by Mr Edward Walsh SC, defending, the garda agreed the woman did not appear surprised to see her when she arrived at the house.
The trial continues.