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Gang rapists fail in bid to have conviction overturned

Summary

The Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals against conviction lodged by Dion Genockey and Daryl Rooney, who were previously convicted of the gang rape of a vulnerable teenager who had recently left State care. The court ruled that the trial was "appropriate, fair and balanced," rejecting arguments that issues surrounding consent rendered the proceedings unfair. Genockey, of Clarion Quay Apartments, and Rooney, of Railway Street, Dublin City Centre, were convicted at the Central Criminal Court in March 2022 following a second trial; the first trial in 2020 ended without a verdict. Genockey was sentenced to nine years by Mr Justice David Keane, while Rooney received a ten-year sentence. A third accused, Troy Ryan, was also convicted and sentenced to nine and a half years. The appellants had argued that the trial judge failed to adequately address their right to silence and their belief in the complainant's consent. The Court of Appeal, in a judgment delivered by Mr Justice John Edwards and Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, found that the jury was properly instructed on these matters and that there was prima facie evidence of the mental element of the offence. The appeals were dismissed, leaving the original convictions and sentences intact.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Gang rapists fail in bid to have conviction overturned. Procedural stage: appeal

When:

• January 5, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• March 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
• 2025-11-13 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Appeal

Read the original CNI report