The trial of a man charged with raping a prostitute ended yesterday after the accused man sacked his defence team, alleging they were in conspiracy with gardai against him.
Mr Justice Feargus Flood discharged the jury at the Central Criminal Court, saying this was the fifth time the accused man had sacked his legal representatives since he was returned for trial in April 1995. An investigation had been ordered when the accused man claimed the foreman of the jury had served a sentence in St Patrick's Institution while he was there. His claims were not true.
During the four day trial, the 36 year old accused man had denied raping and sexually assaulting the prostitute on Powerscourt Mountain, Enniskerry, Co Wicklow on the night of December 29th/30th, 1994. He also denied falsely imprisoning her.
