Cork Jury Returns Not-Guilty Verdicts In Rape, Sexual Assault Case

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A jury in Cork has returned majority "not guilty" verdicts on all charges against a man accused of rape and sexual assault during the city’s ‘Twelve Pubs of Christmas’ celebrations in December 2022.

After six hours of deliberation, the jury—comprising seven men and five women—found the defendant not guilty of one count of rape and five counts of sexual assault. At least ten jurors agreed with the majority decision, which was delivered in the Central Criminal Court in Cork on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

The case centered on allegations that the defendant, a man in his 40s, had sexual intercourse with a young woman after she was too intoxicated to consent. The incident occurred during the city’s annual ‘Twelve Pubs of Christmas’ event, which saw participants visiting twelve pubs in a single night.

Prosecution and Defense Arguments

Prosecution barrister Ray Boland argued that the defendant had known the complainant was too drunk to consent and had deliberately concealed his involvement to avoid his girlfriend discovering the affair. Boland highlighted DNA evidence confirming the defendant’s semen in the complainant’s vagina, stating:

"He can no longer brazen it out because the DNA shows his semen in her vagina. He then explains, ‘I didn’t want my girlfriend to find out.’"

Boland further noted that the defendant had legal advice before his police interviews but initially denied any sexual encounter.

The defendant testified that the sexual acts were consensual, claiming he had denied the encounter initially to protect his relationship with his girlfriend, who remained unaware of the incident.

Jury Reaction and Aftermath

Following the verdict, the defendant was seen embracing the jury and later burst into tears. The complainant was not present when the verdict was delivered.

The case has drawn attention to issues surrounding consent, alcohol, and the challenges of proving rape cases in court. The ‘Twelve Pubs of Christmas’ event, a popular tradition in Cork, has previously been linked to incidents of sexual assault and public disorder.

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