Woman told ex-boyfriend he raped her
A woman told a Central Criminal Court jury she informed her ex-boyfriend he had raped her when he suggested they return to his flat to "make love again".
The jury heard the alleged rape happened in Dublin city centre when she went to his flat to organise retrieving a television after the breakdown of their relationship.
The 33 -year-old accused man has pleaded not guilty to the rape, anal rape and false imprisonment of the woman in his flat on September 18, 1998.
The alleged victim told prosecuting counsel, Mr Paddy McCarthy SC, (with Ms Pauline Wally BL), the accused met her after work and was quite drunk and abusive. A colleague tried to help her but she went with the accused man to try and calm him down.
She said she was forced to accompany him to his flat because he dragged her by the arm and pulled her by the hair when she tried to walk away after she repeatedly told him she did not want to go to his place.
When they reached the flat he forced the door open. She sat by a window in the living room and he asked her to go into the bedroom. She refused at first but went in when he said he would force her.
She said he picked up a hammer at one stage and was swinging it around which made her feel intimidated.
He asked her to take off her jacket because he wanted to have sex. When she said no, he told her it could either be "the hard way or the easy way."
She replied it would have to be the hard way. He started pulling at the jacket which she removed herself as it belonged to a friend and she did not want it damaged. The accused was sniffing lighter fluid and she told the jury he was "quite out of it".
She said she got up to leave but he pushed her back onto the bed. He removed her lower garments, digitally penetrated her and then had sexual intercourse with her. She tried to kick him off but was not able. He also turned her over and buggered her.
The complainant said she was struggling and saying "no" while this was going on but he was heavier than her. She managed to kick him off eventually and got up. She picked up his runner and started hitting him with it. She also threw a vase through a window.
She said she remembered a phone had rung under the bed so she tried to get the accused to leave the room. When he did she dialed 999 and asked a man who answered to send help to the flat but the accused came in and grabbed the phone from her.
Afterwards, he walked her home. As they were walking along he suggested they return to the flat and "make love". She told him that what he had done to her was not making love, it was rape.
In cross-examination by defence counsel, Mr Anthony Sammon SC, (with Ms Caroline Biggs BL), the woman denied she had gone to the flat with the accused to discuss the state of their relationship.
She also denied she had freaked out afterwards because she was frustrated with herself for having sex with the accused when she wanted to end the relationship.
The woman told Mr Sammon she did not look for help before she went to the flat because she was not expecting what later happened to happen.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Paul Carney.
