Courts / Dublin / Report
Woman tells jury she "froze" during alleged rape
Summary
In a Central Criminal Court hearing, a 26‑year‑old Dublin man pleaded not guilty to two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault. The complainant, aged in her 20s, testified that she and friends, including the accused, were drinking in a city centre bar. After the accused had previously asked her out and she declined, they returned to his home. She claimed she fell asleep in a room with him and later awoke to find him touching her buttocks and then raping her. She said she did not move or speak because she was "frozen" in shock. During cross‑examination, the defense asked why she did not pull away or say stop; she replied she felt she could not move. She later described how she squeezed the accused's throat to stop him. The accused told Gardaí that the activity was consensual, a claim the witness denied.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Woman tells jury she "froze" during alleged rape. Charges or matters: two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at a place in the capital on a date in April 2018. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- April 2018 Incident
- 2020-01-24 Publication
Why: A woman has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court that she didn't say anything or move while a man was allegedly raping her because she "froze" in shock. CNI source report
Case subjects
Accused
Charges: two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault at a place in the capital on a date in April 2018 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
Sexual Offences Stage Trial Violent Crime
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