A sales representative has gone on trial at the Central Criminal Court charged with buggering an accounts clerk in a hotel after a company marketing party in a well-known pub in Co Dublin.
The jury was told the woman would allege she woke up early in the morning when it was light to find someone assaulting her.
Mr Hugh Hartnett SC, prosecuting, said the woman would allege she recognised the man when he turned around after jumping from her bed and running out of the room wearing only his top clothes.
The 38-year-old man denies buggering the woman and sexually assaulting her on April 17th, 1997. The trial, before Mr Justice Budd, is scheduled to last up to four days.
Mr Hartnett told the jury both the accused man and the alleged victim worked for the same firm, which had held a "bash" on April 16th, 1997, for clients from Ireland and abroad. The first part of the party was held in the firm's offices so that all the staff could mix with the visitors.
Everyone was then taken to the hotel by bus and on to Johnny Fox's pub at Glencullen. They had a meal and drinks there up to 2 a.m. and went back to the hotel, where some of the staff had more drinks.
Mr Hartnett said the jury would hear evidence from the alleged victim that at some stage the man asked if he could stay in her room. She thought he was joking and said "No". Some of the staff were staying in the hotel that night, but others, including the accused man, who lived nearby, were not.
Later, he and another man had tea in her room before they left to go home.
Mr Hartnett said that the accused man went voluntarily on request to a Garda station and made a statement denying his colleague's allegation and claiming he had spent the night with another female colleague in her room.
The hearing continues.