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Rape accused spoke to juror during trial, appeal court hears
Summary
In a Central Criminal Court case, a 60‑year‑old Laois man was convicted of anal rape of a 34‑year‑old woman at her home on 10 October 2010. The jury delivered a 10‑2 majority verdict after a five‑day trial in December 2015, and Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced him to seven‑and‑a‑half years imprisonment on 29 February 2016. The defendant, who has no prior convictions, did not accept the verdict and has lodged an appeal in the Court of Appeal, where the judges have reserved judgment. His barrister, Patrick Gageby SC, argued that the defendant had spoken to a juror at a Luas stop near the courts during the trial, claiming the contact was an innocuous request for directions. Gageby urged the court to question the juror about any potential influence on the jury's impartiality, a step he says was not taken.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Rape accused spoke to juror during trial, appeal court hears. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- October 10, 2010 Hearing Or Sentence
- February 29, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2017-05-02 Publication
Why: The explanation was that the then accused did not recognise the juror and had simply asked for directions possibly because his car was parked at the Red Cow Park + Ride. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; A Laois resident jailed for raping a woman as she slept following a night out must wait to hear the outcome of an appeal against his conviction. Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy sentenced him to seven-and-a-half years imprisonment on February 29, 2016.
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
- The Central Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Red Cow Park
Topics
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