Irish former rugby player found guilty of rape in France

Former Irish U20 prop Denis Coulson has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty of the rape of a woman in Bordeaux in 2017.

Coulson was one of three former FC Grenoble rugby players who were accused of the gang rape of a 20-year-old woman after a match in Bordeaux in March 2017.

The verdicts were delivered after more than nine hours of deliberations.

There was a majority verdict for all five of the defendants.

Former Irish international Chris Farrell, who is currently signed to French team Oyannax, has been given a four-year sentence with two years suspended for failure to prevent a crime.

The court was told that he will not be sent to prison but will have to wear an electronic tag for the two years and remain in France.

Loick Jammes, 30, from France was found guilty of rape and given a 14-year sentence.

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34-year-old Rory Grice from New Zealand was found guilty of rape and given a 12-year sentence.

30-year-old Dylan Hayes from New Zealand was also given a two-year suspended sentence for failure to prevent a crime.

The incident happened in a hotel room in Mérignac, a suburb of Bordeaux after their team at the time, FC Grenoble, played a championship match against Union Bordeaux Bègles.

All five defendants had denied the charges against them.

The three men accused of rape had said that any sexual activity was consensual.

The trial was held behind closed doors, in the absence of the media or the public, at the request of the lawyers for the complainant.

It got under way last week at La Cour d'Assises, a criminal trial court in the southwestern region of Gironde.

It had initially been scheduled to take place in June but it was postponed after lawyers for Coulson asked the judge for the adjournment.

His lawyers told the court that he had been seriously injured after a car crash in Ireland and was unable to speak with his legal team.

The judge postponed the case and it resumed on 2 December for a two-week trial.

Coulson joined Grenoble in 2014 and played for the side until 2017.

Farrell also joined Grenoble in 2014 and played there until 2017. He also played for Ireland 15 times, including at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Speaking after the verdicts, one of the lawyers for the victim, Grégoire Mouly, said the verdicts were a relief for her after almost seven years and praised the French justice system.

"For the victim, it is a relief because the French justice said to this woman, or said to those men that this night they were not allowed to do what they did to her," he said.

"And French justice said also to all of the victims, that we believe you. They said to one victim today we believe you, and I think that is really important."

The lawyer for Denis Coulson, Corinne Dreyfus Schmidt also gave her reaction outside the courtroom, saying it is a shock.

"I am extremely shocked and devastated with the decision that has been taken. Tomorrow morning we will appeal the decision and ask for his release," she said.

Ms Dreyfus Schmidt said she understands that Mr Coulson will be sent to prison near Bordeaux.

Dylan Hayes, who was given a suspended sentence, was seen walking out of court around half an hour after the verdicts.