Gardai never offered rape accused an interpreter, lawyers say

A 33-year-old non-national man and a 29-year-old co-accused, both resident in Donegal, have pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape following an alleged incident in February 2015. The case is being heard before the Central Criminal Court with a jury and Judge Alex Owens. Defence counsel for the older accused contended that gardaí never offered him an interpreter, despite his non-English-speaking background. A garda witness who supervised custody said he would have provided an interpreter had he observed any comprehension difficulties, and stated the defendant never indicated he required one. The officer noted neither the accused nor his solicitor raised concerns during interviews exceeding two hours in duration. Counsel highlighted that gardaí questioned the defendant about the legal definition of rape towards the end of one interview, suggesting possible understanding issues. The garda witness maintained this reflected standard practice and that the defendant conversed adequately in English. The trial resumed on Wednesday before the jury.