A married man has been found guilty at the Central Criminal Court of raping a woman who was sleeping overnight in his neighbour's house after a birthday party.
Joseph Coogan (35), Dun sink Avenue, Finglas, was convicted by the jury which took less than one hour to return a unanimous verdict after a sixday trial. Mr Justice Carney remanded him on continuing bail for sentence on June 11th and directed the preparation of reports for that hearing.
Coogan pleaded not guilty to raping the woman on January 5th, 1997, and claimed she had consented to sex at about 5.30 a.m. when he got into her bed. "It wasn't rape. It was consensual," he said. The woman told the jury she woke up to find Coogan on her having sex. She got him off her and recognised him when he left saying, "Sorry, wrong room".