JURY DISCHARGED IN CASE OF GALWAY MAN ACCUSED OF RAPE

Date Published: 28-Feb-2008

A jury has failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a Galway man accused of raping a neighbour in his marital home almost 30 years ago.Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy discharged and thanked the six men and six women for their care and attention to what he said was a difficult case.The jury announced it was deadlocked after it had been deliberating for more than five hours and having spent one night in a hotel.The 57-year-old accused had pleaded NOT guilty to two counts of raping the woman on dates in 1972 and 1979, and to one count of indecently assaulting her on a date in 1971. The Judge discharged the jury today on day 6 of the trial and the case will be mentioned later at the Central Criminal Court when a new date for a trial might be set.