TWO INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION applicants accused of raping an 18-year-old woman in a car parked at Galway’s Ceannt Railway Station after she got lost in the city were refused bail in the High Court on Thursday.

The Jordanian men, aged 27 and 25, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are charged with vaginal rape and false imprisonment of the alleged victim just after 2am on 1 August.

The older man has an additional rape charge for forcing her to perform oral sex on him at the same location, the car park of Galway’s main rail station.

They were remanded in custody after the District Court denied bail last month, but lodged a High Court application for release.

They appeared via video link, sitting side by side, and had an Arabic interpreter for the bail hearing, which heard that they made claims of consensual sex and that she was drunk. However, they did not give evidence.

Ms Caroline Justice Biggs heard that the young woman separated from her friends, and the two defendants offered to help her to her nearby accommodation.

However, it is alleged that after bringing her to a car, they raped her while she repeatedly said no, attempted to get out, but the door was locked, and she tried to resist.

The court heard the alleged rape; they drove her to her lodgings, went back to the car park and were in a “jovial manner” afterwards.

Detective Sergeant Trevor Shannon voiced objections to bail, fearing the pair were a flight risk. He also outlined the evidence before CCTV footage was played. He told defence counsel that no conditions would alleviate his concerns.

In her ruling, Ms Justice Biggs said she agreed with the detective sergeant that they were likely to flee the jurisdiction and that there would be no trial.

Ms Justice Biggs said they face extremely serious charges that could only be tried in the Central Criminal Court, and that they had the presumption of innocence.

She noted the evidence, including CCTV footage gathered by gardaí, and that the young woman was unequivocal in her account.

The court heard that the pair, from Jordan, which has no extradition treaty with Ireland, entered the State in 2024 from the North and, after first arriving in Belfast, travelled south and applied for international protection.

He agreed with Rachel Cadden BL that the complainant first attended a sexual assault treatment unit where the forensic examiner noted several injuries: bruising to the middle of her throat, a recent abrasion to her right elbow, a distinct circular bruise on her upper thigh, and bleeding in the upper cervix.

She reported the incident on 3 April.

The detected sergeant said it was alleged that the complainant was in the lane way looking for her accommodation.

It was just 200 metres away, but she was not familiar with the area, and her phone battery had died. The court heard she was intoxicated and shoeless as she met two men smoking.

CCTV evidence showed they engaged with the complainant. It was alleged they offered to charge her phone, show her the way, and said they had Google Maps.

It was alleged they walked with her back up the lane towards Eyre Square and the car park.

A car belonging to the younger man’s wife was there. The court heard the complainant entered the vehicle at 2.21am, with both males being seen “guiding her into the front passenger seat”.

The footage then shows the two men getting in the car, with one in the driver’s seat and the other in the rear, and the older defendant getting out after four mins and 18 seconds, leaving the co-accused alone in the car with her.

The court heard he loitered outside, smoking and pacing, while there was movement of the vehicle consistent with the complainant’s allegation of vaginal rape.

The 25-year-old was left alone with her for nine minutes and 19 seconds and then got out, opening the door, and was seen adjusting and fixing his clothing and using a tissue to wipe his genital area, the court heard.

The court heard the footage showed that 11 seconds later, at 2.36am, the 27-year-old man who had appeared agitated got into the front passenger seat.

The younger accused then loitered outside the car, and again, the vehicle’s movement was consistent with the allegation.

It was claimed that the footage shows the older man climbing on top of her in the passenger seat, and it was contended at that point he vaginally raped her.

After three minutes and 40 seconds, he got into the front driver’s seat and could be observed on CCTV as he allegedly forced her to perform oral sex on him, the court was told.

Footage also showed the younger man coming and going and looking in the window.

The 27-year-old spent another four and a half minutes in the vehicle with her before exiting at 2.40am, when he could be seen altering and fixing clothing and using a piece of rubbish to clean his genitals.

The court heard that they returned to the car and searched the floor, and at 2.45am drove her to where she was staying.

She ran inside and was in a “distressed state” and met two friends, telling them she had been raped; they have given “recent complaint” statements to gardaí.

The court heard that her upset demeanour was apparent in the footage.

CCTV also showed the two men driving back to the car park and searching the area before heading home. Her bra was removed and found near where the vehicle was parked.

The men were repeatedly interviewed.

The 27-year-old defendant had no ties to Ireland, and all his family were in Jordan.

He informed gardaí there was consent and that “I can’t believe she remembers this; she was so drunk.”

He denied oral sex.

The court heard that the younger defendant said there was sexual intercourse.

The court heard he had family in Ireland. The defence said that the man’s wife attended the bail hearing.

But the officer said they had met earlier this year, were not legally married in Ireland, and it would have been only a “ceremonial marriage”.

However, the detective accepted they were in a relationship.

He also claimed that he told the complainant that he was married and that she had insisted they have sex. His relatives offered €1,000 bail.

Gardaí tried to get solicitors to consult with them and attend their interviews, but none were available due to the ongoing strike over legal aid reforms.

Earlier this week, their proceedings in the District Court in Galway were adjourned until 21 September pending instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions.