A north Dublin businessman has been convicted of raping a foreign tourist at a Killarney hotel in 2005.
Philip McGrane (39), of Moonlone Lane, Hynestown, The Naul, Co Dublin, was remanded for sentence later by Mr Justice Paul Carney who also directed that he be registered as a sex offender pursuant to legislation.
Mr Justice Carney refused to give bail to McGrane. Referring to intimate evidence given by his wife on his behalf in court, he said: "A person who calls his wife to give evidence on behalf of him is, to my mind, capable of anything and I'm not going to give bail under any circumstances."
The jury at the Central Criminal Court found McGrane guilty of oral and anal rape, rape, and sexual assault. He had denied inflicting each offence on the tourist in the hotel on June 6th, 2005.
Mr Justice Carney directed the preparation of a victim impact statement and thanked the jury of four women and eight men for its attention to the case. He also told them the nature of evidence heard by them during the trial was not typical of cases in court. He exempted the jurors from further service for life.
Garda Michelle Roche told Mr Paul Burns SC (with Mr Tom Rice BL), prosecuting, that McGrane became the chief suspect for the rape after gardai viewed CCTV security footage from the hotel. Garda Roche said they patrolled Killarney searching for him without success until 4am but just after 8am she saw him sitting in the garda station and arrested him.
The now 58-year-old woman told Mr Burns that McGrane forced his way into her room and attacked her. Mr Justice Carney adjourned sentencing until a later date.