Man’s rape conviction quashed after appeal over judge’s interventions

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

The Court of Appeal quashed the unnamed man’s rape conviction on 28 June 2022, after finding the trial judge’s interventions were likely to have rendered the verdict unsafe.

He had been convicted by a jury in September 2020 of raping a 17-year-old girl at an address in Midleton, Co Cork, and received a 10-year sentence, with the final three years suspended. The trial took place at the Central Criminal Court in Cork.

The appeal court said the judge’s interventions went beyond what was permissible and entered the arena to too great a degree. It quashed the verdict; the DPP then sought time to consider whether to request a retrial.

The man remained remanded in custody with consent to bail on conditions, including not contacting prosecution witnesses and reporting to his local Garda station. The case was adjourned until Thursday.