A Wicklow teenager has told a Central Criminal Court jury she was raped by her brother-in-law while she was sleeping in the sitting-room of her house.
She told prosecuting counsel, Mr John Edwards SC, the accused said that if she told anyone what had happened he would kill her sister (his wife) and their baby.
The 23-year-old accused has pleaded not guilty to one count of raping the then 14-year-old girl in the sitting room of her home in Co Wicklow in the early hours of December, 1997.
The now 18-year-old woman told Mr Edwards, her sister and the accused had moved into her bedroom so she was sleeping in the sitting-room. She had gone to sleep around 10 p.m. on December 15th but was woken by the accused around 3 a.m. He asked her if she wanted some tea but she said no and went back to sleep.
Around 4 a.m. she was awoken again when the accused tried to climb in beside her on the sofa. He pulled down her underwear but she pulled them back up. He pulled them down again and pushed her down into the sofa.
He then raped her and told her he would kill her sister and her sister's baby if she told anyone. Afterwards, he went back upstairs.
The girl said she went to the bathroom off her mothers bedroom and stayed there for around half an hour. When she went back to the sitting room, she barricaded the door.The girl said she did not tell her mother until two weeks later when she was concerned she might be pregnant.
The girl denied in cross-examination by Mr Gerry Clarke SC, that her younger sister was in the room while the alleged assault occurred.
She also denied she had gone shopping with her older sister for a birthday present for the accused the day of the alleged assault and that she had given him a present of socks for Christmas a couple of weeks later.
She said everyone in the house knew she did not give the accused anything because of what had happened.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Carney and a jury of five women and seven men.