Brothers' hotel rape convictions quashed
Two Laois brothers who served three-year jail sentences have had their convictions for raping a woman in a Dublin hotel quashed.
Eamonn Flanagan of Dunamaise, Stradbally and Seamus Flanagan of Ashley Gardens, Portlaoise were cleared on appeal after a prosecution witness cast doubt over the evidence he had given at their trial, and claimed he had been bullied by gardaí.
There were tears in Seamus Flanagan's eyes as he and his brother Eamonn embraced friends and family at the end of their successful appeal.
The two brothers were jailed for three years in 2011 after a jury at the Central Criminal Court found them guilty of raping a woman in a bedroom of the Red Cow Hotel six years ago.
But their convictions have been deemed unsafe after a friend who was with them on the evening in question gave evidence today that he had lied at their trial when called as a prosecution witness.
Daniel Lynch had claimed to have met the brothers near the bedroom where the alleged rape occurred, but he now says he was drunk and has always doubted if that brief encounter ever happened.
He claims he was too scared to own up to those doubts at the trial because it would contradict a statement he claims he was bullied into making by gardaí - an allegation the gardaí deny.
The court quashed the rape convictions and will give reasons for the ruling at a later date.
