Conviction for twice raping wife is upheld on appeal

A 40-year-old man from County Mayo has had his conviction for rape upheld following an appeal to the Court of Appeal. He was originally sentenced to nine years imprisonment after being convicted on two counts of anal rape against his wife at their home on 18 December 2015. The jury had acquitted him on four other counts relating to earlier dates in 2015. During the trial at the Central Criminal Court, the woman gave evidence describing how her husband arrived home intoxicated and subsequently assaulted her twice that night. The man had maintained all sexual contact was consensual. On appeal, the defence challenged the trial's conduct and the safety of the conviction, particularly regarding corroboration warnings given to the jury. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham, found the jury's verdicts well-justified and determined the trial was conducted fairly. The court dismissed the appeal, finding no grounds to consider the conviction unsafe.