THE TRIAL of a man accused of raping his mother on the night of Mother’s Day three years ago has opened at the Central Criminal Court. The Dublin man (44) has pleaded not guilty to raping the woman (65) at her home on March 2nd or 3rd, 2008.
Gerard Clarke SC, prosecuting, told the jury it would hear that the accused man was interviewed by gardaí and admitted to having intercourse with his mother but he said it was with her encouragement and that because he had had a few drinks, he had given in.
The woman told Mr Clarke that she lived alone and had a number of health problems. On Mother’s Day she had attended a local event which she left at about 8pm, her son had called into the event at about 3pm and gave her a card.
She said there was a four-course meal at the event and she drank about 2½ to three “quarter bottles” of wine. She put a number of bottles which had been bought for her in her bag and brought them home.
When she got home she watched the news and went to bed. At about 11pm the doorbell rang, she looked out the window and saw her son. She noticed he had had a few drinks but was not drunk. She said he asked where the drink was.
He got vodka and two glasses and brought them into the living room. Her son put one of the drinks on the table in front of her and knelt on the far side of the table.
She told Mr Clarke they were talking and then put on a CD. She thought her son asked her to dance so she went to get up off the chair. She did not know if she slipped off the chair or got up and fell, but the next thing she knew her son was having sex with her.
She told Mr Clarke that after she repeatedly said “leave me alone”, he stopped what he was doing and left the house. She said it took him some time to leave. She said he was talking but she did not know what he was saying.
When he left she was lying on the floor and was unable to get up until the next morning. She went to bed, she thought at about 8.30am. She woke up about 1pm or 2pm and rang a friend. She asked the woman to come in and her family were contacted.
She said gardaí came and she was brought to the Rotunda Hospital at about 10pm.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Butler and a jury.