Belfast Telegraph

Man denies raping woman who responded to advert for work in Northern Ireland

Newry Magistrates Court (Michael McHugh/PA)
Newry Magistrates Court (Michael McHugh/PA)

By Donal McMahon

Bail has been refused for a 38-year-old Lithuanian man charged with rape and making threats to kill a female who responded to an advert for work in Northern Ireland.

Silinskas Andrius (38) of Tullyvallen Fold, Castleblaney Street, Newtownhamilton, is further charged with choking, assault and breach of a UK deportation order on August 15.

The defendant, wearing a grey track suit, through an interrupter said he understood the charges.

A PSNI detective constable told Newry Magistrates Court on Saturday that she could connect the accused to the offences.

The court heard that a naked and distressed woman alerted another person on the street to the incident after escaping from a Co Armagh house.

Prosecution described how the woman had caught a flight to Northern Ireland after responding to an advert for work.

Detective Constable Thompson said the female met a drunk Andrius at the airport and was then taken to his home where he continued to drink alcohol.

“He intimated that he wanted to have sex, but the woman told him ‘no’,” said the officer.

“He then made a threat to kill her and then pulled her upstairs. He then assaulted her, slapped her on the face and raped her, digitally penetrated her and then left to go downstairs.

“The injured party then went downstairs and ran outside through the back door. She was naked at the time and climbed over a metal fence on to the street, where she was able to get someone to contact the police.

“Police attended the address a short time later where the defendant was identified standing outside his home. He was arrested and during interview denied having any sexual contact with the woman.”

The court was told that the accused was also in breach of a UK deportation order made by Norfolk police in 2017. The defendant had travelled from Germany to Dublin and made his way across the border where he has stayed and worked for the last four to five months.

Prosecution objected to a bail application through fear of flight and risk of re-offending.

The defence said his client, who denies all the charges, had “mistakenly” breached the UK deportation order as he had travelled into Dublin before moving just north of the border.

The barrister added that the defendant could adhere to strict bail conditions including a tag and the surrender of his passport.

District judge Paul Copeland refused the application.

“The potential for a rape conviction could encourage the defendant to abscond,” added the judge.

The case was adjourned to a later date this month with the accused remanded into custody.

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