Alcohol blamed for 'uncontrollable urge'

A man accused of sexual assault has admitted attacking the woman but claims he was overcome by an “uncontrollable urge” due to…

A man accused of sexual assault has admitted attacking the woman but claims he was overcome by an “uncontrollable urge” due to a cocktail of alcohol and medication.

Anthony Lyons (53), Griffith Avenue, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the sexual assault of a 27-year-old woman on October 3rd, 2010.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the woman was attacked by Mr Lyons in the early hours of the morning while walking home on a north Dublin road.

The jury was told it is the defence case that Mr Lyons drank four or five pints of Guinness and was overcome by an irresistible impulse due a concoction of alcohol, cholesterol medicine and cough syrup.

READ MORE

In an opening speech, the prosecution said Mr Lyons admitted to the physical act of sexual assault but claims he lacked the mental element of the crime because he was overcome with an uncontrollable urge.

The woman said that that while Mr Lyons was struggling to remove clothes, she phoned gardaí and said she was being raped.