A MAN CONVICTED of the rape of his wife’s friend in a Dublin park almost five years ago has been told he faces an “immediate and substantial sentence”.

The 55-year-old man, who can’t be named for legal reasons, pleaded not guilty to rape in September 2019 in a park following a party at his house.

The jury in the Central Criminal Court trial returned a unanimous guilty verdict today after a trial lasting four days. They deliberated for around three hours and 23 minutes.

Rejecting a defence application to continue the man’s bail until sentencing, Justice Tony Hunt said: “The law is quite clear in these circumstances; an immediate and substantial sentence is the norm.”

He remanded the man in custody and said he would consider any mitigation, including the man’s lack of previous convictions, on the next date.  

Justice Hunt adjourned the case to 1 March and directed the preparation of a victim impact statement.

The man made no visible reaction as the jury’s verdict was read out.

Justice Hunt expressed his “profound thanks” to the jurors for “their logical and methodical” approach which he said is required from juries “in difficult cases like this”.

He told them: “Your verdict was a prompt one and in light of the evidence, I think unsurprising.”

Justice Hunt exempted the 11 jurors from jury service for ten years. The twelfth juror was discharged due to illness on the third day of the trial and was given an exemption of seven years.