Criminal who raped and controlled partner rejects jury verdict, court hears

Dean Ward, aged 38, formerly of County Wexford, has brought an appeal against his conviction at the Court of Appeal, arguing procedural unfairness undermined his trial. Ward was convicted in June 2022 of twelve offences committed over a six-week period between June and July 2019 against a woman in Killybegs, County Donegal. The offences included rape, assault, false imprisonment, threats to kill and coercive control. At the appeal hearing, Ward's legal team contended that the trial was prejudiced by the admission of evidence concerning the complainant's references to earlier threats to kill and prosecution submissions regarding financial transfers. They further argued that victim impact testimony should have been excluded as prejudicial and incapable of remedy by judicial instruction. The Director of Public Prosecutions' counsel defended the trial's fairness, submitting that evidence of prior threats and financial control was probative and admissible to establish both the complainant's mental state and the coercive control element essential to proving the charges. The prosecution maintained that such testimony was necessary to the case. Mr Justice John Edwards heard submissions from both sides and reserved judgment. The case carries significance within County Donegal and broader public interest given the severity of the allegations and the trial court's earlier findings that the woman's consent to sexual intercourse was secured through fear and force. Ward had targeted the woman through an online dating site before moving into her home, subjecting her to sustained violence and psychological manipulation over the six-week period. He maintained his innocence following his arrest by armed gardaí in July 2019. The outcome of the Court of Appeal's decision is pending.