Note taking rapist could have passed for diligent court clerk

WITH HIS brown cardboard folder, silver framed glasses and look of earnest concentration, Thomas Stokes could have passed for a diligent court clerk.

Throughout his 16 day trial for false imprisonment, rape and sexual assault he filled hundreds of pages with detailed notes. On Saturday morning, as Ms Maureen Clark SC summed up the prosecution case against him, the writing became more furious.

Beside him on the bench he had placed a box of Major cigarettes, as Ms Clark reminded the jury about the Benson and Hedges cigarettes found at the rape scene in the Dublin mountains.

The man, who the court heard had pulled out his own hair by the roots when he was basked for a sample by gardai, listened with his hands in his lap as Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC put the case for the defence to the jury of seven women and five men.

Stokes sat back with a slightly puzzled look on his face, staring at the jury, as Mr O'Carroll explained their responsibility in coming to a verdict. Then he removed his glasses and polished them with a tissue carefully unfolded from the brown folder.

From outside came the occasional sounds of hammering and sawing of workmen prepared for the reopening of the courts this morning. Stokes's was one of two rape cases heard in an early sitting of the Central Criminal Court as part of the Government's anti crime package.

Mr O'Carroll told the court how the rape victim said she started screaming and crying after the man she agreed to have sex with for money had turned towards the mountains. He asked the jury to put themselves in the seat of the car with her, taking account of the "hazards of the trade".

Stokes cleaned his glasses a second time, polishing with even more vigour. The left arm of the glasses was neatly Sellotaped.

There was more note taking as Mr Justice Moriarty charged the jury, and at one point Stokes looked at him angrily mouthing "No". Shortly after 4 p.m. the jury retired.

At 7.20 p.m. they returned, looking tired and drawn. They told the court they did not have a unanimous verdict and were sent out again. At 8.15 p.m. they returned with the majority guilty verdict on all three counts.

Stokes sat with his hands crossed and his head down as the foreman told the court the verdict, and November 11th was set for sentencing.

Then he tidied his papers into a folder and replaced the caps on his Biros before putting them into a soft brown pencil case and slotting it into the elastic holding his papers together.

As the judge thanked the jury Stokes crossed himself quickly and put his hands together in prayer, briefly, before standing up to talk to his legal team.