Courts / Dublin / Report

Complainant tells sex assault trial she feared people would judge her for "getting into stranger's car"

Date
2017-11-23

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, a 35‑year‑old English‑language student testified that she was sexually assaulted by a 36‑year‑old Dublin man she had met on the Tinder dating app. She said she had agreed to meet him after weeks of communication, and he had driven her in his car to a secluded green area. During the encounter, she claimed he became aggressive and assaulted her. After the incident she took a taxi home, told her flatmate about the attack, but they could not contact the Gardaí because of limited English. She called the manager of the agency running her English course that night, who advised her to rest and go to the police the next morning. She expressed fear that people would judge her for getting into a stranger's car or using Tinder. The trial is proceeding before Judge Cormac Quinn and a jury of twelve. The unnamed 36-year-old pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Complainant tells sex assault trial she feared people would judge her for "getting into stranger's car". Charges or matters: sexual assault of the foreign national at UCD campus, Belfield, south Dublin on July 23, 2014. Procedural stage: trial

When:

July 23, 2014 Incident
2017-11-23 Publication

Why: She told the court that she explained the situation to him but they couldn't go to gardaí because they had very little English. CNI source report