Wicklow school girl gives evidence in rape case
A Wicklow schoolgirl has told a jury in the Central Criminal Court that she felt "horrible and disgusting" after being raped on the night of the Arklow "Sea Breeze" Festival in July 2004.
The 18-year-old accused has pleaded not guilty to four charges of raping and sexually assaulting the then 14-year-old girl on July 18, 2004. He denies one count each of rape, oral rape, anal rape and sexual assault, on the same occasion.
The girl, who gave evidence by video link, told Ms Aileen Donnelly SC (with Mr Garnet Orange BL), prosecuting, that her mother had dropped her in the town on the afternoon of July 18, 2004 so she could go to the festival with her friends.
She said that at 9 or 10pm they were sitting on some steps eating chips when they encountered three youths. One of them told her his name was "Liam" and asked her for her name.
The now 16-year-old complainant said she had just stood up to go to the toilet and the accused linked arms with her and walked her along the path.
She told Ms Donnelly that she felt scared and panicked as he took a turn away from the main path and brought her through a break in the hedge leading to a large field.
She described how he pushed her onto the bank and lay on top of her, lifting her top and her skirt and taking off her tights and underwear.
She claimed he then had sex with her without her consent.
She told Mr Hugo Hynes SC, defending, in cross-examination, that she couldn't remember whether her friend had started a conversation with the three youths to ask them for a light.
She agreed that she had been happy to leave her girlfriend alone while she went to find the toilet in the park, a five minutes walk away.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Eamon de Valera and the jury of nine men and three women.
