Courts / Dublin / Report

Jury deliberating in Tinder rape trial

Summary

A jury has begun deliberating a case in which a 36‑year‑old Dublin man is accused of raping a university student on their first date after meeting on Tinder. The alleged rape took place in the defendant's car after a drive up the Dublin Mountains on 11 September 2014. The defendant pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court. Judge Paul Butler told the jury that the evidence is largely uncorroborated and that conviction would rely on the complainant's word alone, urging caution. He noted that the complainant's distressed state could be explained by other factors. The jury started deliberations at 2.50 pm and will resume tomorrow. The defence argued that the complainant's subsequent Tinder activity and the deletion of texts undermined her credibility, and that her visit to a GP rather than a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit suggested a different motive. The judge emphasised that any conviction must be based on the strongest evidence available.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jury deliberating in Tinder rape trial. Charges or matters: rape at Kilmashogue Lane, Rathfarnham, Co Dublin on September 11, 2014. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• September 11, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2017-05-31 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report