The owner of a house in which a woman was allegedly raped several times has denied involvement in any sexual or physical attacks on her. He was giving evidence on the 18th day of the trial of a 56year-old Co Westmeath man who has pleaded not guilty to nine charges of rape and indecent assault on a woman, now 72, on dates between 1983 and 1994.
The witness told Mr David Goldberg SC, defending, that he did have arguments with the woman who, he claimed, had no right to reside in the house. The woman had been living in a shed when she had been invited by his family to stay on a temporary basis at the house. "She took it into her head she owned the house", he told Mr Goldberg.
The trial continues.