Elderly man goes on trial charged with raping teenage boy in car parks
An elderly man from Co Clare has gone on trial accused of raping a teenage boy from his neighbourhood 15 years ago.
The allegations first came out in 2003 when the teenager was in prison.
The man is alleged to have first given the boy a present of IR£20 for his confirmation - striking up contact, that included dog walks, drives and more money thrown from the car window in match boxes.
The prosecution says it is claimed the man, then in his mid 50s, first sexually assaulted his young neighbour in his car after bringing him to watch the planes at Shannon Airport in 1999.
He is alleged to have raped the boy, then aged about 14 or 15, on three occasions in dark corners of car parks in Co. Clare.
The man denies the allegations which first emerged when the alleged victim was in prison.
He told Gardaí there was sexual contact between them on only one occasion at his house.
He also claimed he found the teenager with a male lover in his garden and that they had offered him a threesome, which he turned down.
