Man denies raping mother of three

A 40-YEAR-OLD main told a jury he did not rape a Wexford woman and claimed they had consensual sexual intercourse early one morning…

A 40-YEAR-OLD main told a jury he did not rape a Wexford woman and claimed they had consensual sexual intercourse early one morning.

The man has pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court to raping and sexually assaulting the 45-year-old mother of three.

The woman had been friendly with his wife and he also developed a normal friendly relationship with her, but that had changed after she squeezed his arm and, asked: "Why don't you come to see me". He took it as an invitation to call for sex, he told Mr Justice Morris.

He called to her house on the morning of September 13th 1992 and they had sex on her doorstep, he told his counsel, Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC.

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Cross-examined by Ms Maureen Clark SC, the accused man agreed he had been responsible for breaking a kitchen window that night. He said he slipped on the ground and his elbow hit the glass. He denied he had deliberately smashed the window and cut his finger doing so.

The injury occurred on an earlier occasion, but he accepted the cut may have been responsible for blood found on his jeans and the alleged victim's clothes.

He agreed he did not apologise and go home after breaking the glass or when the woman came to her front door with a lump hammer.

He said the woman put down the hammer and he explained he was there for sex. They made love. Afterwards, he agreed not to tell anyone.

He told Ms Clark he could not explain why the woman had gone to the doctor in a distressed state and complained of rape. He said she was concerned with getting the "morning-after" pill.

Earlier, the alleged victim claimed she was forced into haying sex. She claimed she was in bed when she heard someone try the handle of the front door. She heard the kitchen window breaking. She later went outside and got a board to put in the window.

She saw a "tallish man" who called her by name. She asked who he was and he replied: "I am the man from nowhere". Asked what he wanted, he answered: "You know what I want."

He said he had a gun and would shoot her and her family, the alleged victim said. The woman cried as she recalled going out and being raped by her attacker who had drink taken.

She had an idea that her attacker was the accused man. He warned her not to report the incident or she would "be dead". The trial continues.