Galway man acquitted of charge of raping Sligo woman

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has acquitted a Galway man charged with raping a woman in Sligo in December 2010. The man had pleaded not guilty to the allegation. During a four-day trial, the complainant gave evidence that she had met the accused in a nightclub and subsequently engaged in consensual sexual activity at his flat. She alleged that the following morning, after she expressed her wish to leave, he forced himself upon her despite her repeated requests that he stop. Under cross-examination, defence counsel highlighted that the woman had been in control throughout the night and demonstrated various interactions with the accused. The jury, comprising nine men and three women, deliberated for under one hour before returning a unanimous not-guilty verdict.