Man goes on trial for rape of woman with Down syndrome

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A man has gone on trial for rape at the Central Criminal Court, reported on 18 November 2015. He has also pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and having sex with a mentally impaired person, relating to an alleged incident at his Dublin flat on 12 June 2013.

The prosecution alleges that the woman, who has Down syndrome, was brought to the flat after becoming separated from her mother while jogging. The court was told the trial would remain in legal argument before resuming with evidence on Monday; the accused maintains that sexual contact was consensual and that he did not know she was mentally impaired.