Peter Connolly solicitors successfully defended a 19 year old boy accused of a charge of rape when he was 16 years of age and the alleged injured party was 15 years of age. The trial ran for 6 days and our firm retained Conor Devally SC and Justin McQuade B.L. as the barristers on the case.
Our firm were present in the Garda Station in August 2015 and sat in on all interviews . The case took a long tome to come on for hearing which is not really acceptable in this day and age for all involved but that’s a separate issue.
No one should ever allow themselves sit through Garda interviews without a solicitor present when the accusation is that serious. Sex crimes are now investigated by the Garda National Protective Services Bureau. These are specialist officers with extensive training and experience so the situation can be extremely difficult for the suspect. Answers given in such interviews can be the difference with being not being charged and convicted frankly.
Sex cases now involve not just the question of consent , but prior history, DNA , Social Media, complaint disclosure and a myriad of other issues.
We cannot report on the specifics or facts of the above case that was heard in the Central Criminal Court this month due to the proceedings being in camera and involving children.