A 34-year-old man has been found guilty of raping and falsely imprisoning a Polish woman in Killarney, Co Kerry, on her second night in Ireland. Earlier a jury had also found him guilty of assault causing harm.
The jury of three women and nine men took almost 10 hours to reach a 10-2 majority verdict on all counts in the Central Criminal Court.
As the verdict was read out Vasile Vardoshilli, from Georgia, clutched his chest and swayed against his interpreter.
The victim had come to Ireland to work and during the trial she told Aileen Donnelly SC, prosecuting, that she had met Vardoshilli when she arrived in Cork. He had driven her to Killarney where they met some Polish men who had an apartment in the town. They were accompanied by two other Georgians.
At the apartment they had something to eat and drink before going to a local disco. Vardoshilli tried to kiss and hug her but she pushed him away and continued dancing. She told Anthony Sammon SC, defending, that she did not want to offend him because he had promised her a job.
She left the disco with him and returned to the flat. When they got there he ordered her into a bedroom and informed her they were going to sleep together. When she refused he threw her on the bed, tore her clothes off and raped her.
The victim said she was too afraid to leave the flat after Vardoshilli threatened her by drawing his finger across his throat. She had nowhere else to go.
During the eight-day trial the jury also heard from a Polish man who was a friend of the man in whose apartment the attack happened.
He described coming back to the apartment to find the victim shaking and crying and clearly distressed. He helped her out of the flat and brought her to his cousin, whose husband is Irish, who gave them the keys to her house. He stayed with her until gardaí arrived.
Mr Justice Barry White deferred sentencing until a victim impact statement can be prepared.