Courts / Cork / Report
Stable owner's conviction for raping teenage girl is upheld
Summary
In 2020 the Court of Appeal upheld the conviction of Ger Hehir, a stable owner, for raping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl between 2010 and 2013. Hehir, aged 59, had pleaded not guilty to the rape and four counts of sexual assault at his home and at horse events. The Central Criminal Court jury found him guilty after a seven‑day retrial and sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment, with the final 18 months suspended. Hehir appealed, arguing that the trial judge failed to warn the jury about uncorroborated evidence and confused the issue of consent. The Court of Appeal rejected these arguments, stating that the judge's charge was clear enough to leave no doubt that the complainant had not consented and that the defence's case was that no sexual activity had occurred. The appeal was dismissed, leaving the original conviction and sentence intact.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Stable owner's conviction for raping teenage girl is upheld. Charges or matters: raping the girl and four counts of sexually assaulting her at his home and at horse events around the country on dates between 2010 and 2013. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Found guilty
When:
- January 25, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2010 and 2013 Incident
- 2020-05-08 Publication
Why: When she pinched him after asking him to stop, he told her not to do so because his partner would see the marks. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: raping the girl and four counts of sexually assaulting her at his home and at horse events around the country on dates between 2010 and 2013 (Proven)
Plea: Not guilty
Finding: Found guilty
Outcome: Found guilty
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- The Central Criminal Court
Topics
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