In 2021, Gerard McKenna, aged 28, of no fixed abode and formerly of Rockville Street, Belfast, was unanimously convicted at Craigavon Crown Court of raping a 12-year-old child and committing multiple related offences.
The court heard details regarding an incident on 23 December 2019 where McKenna encountered two young girls on the Lagan towpath. Prosecutors presented evidence showing McKenna supplied the victims with vodka and offered them class A cocaine and diazepam.
Despite being explicitly warned by an adult acquaintance that the primary victim was only 12 years old, McKenna carried out a physical and sexual assault before raping her.
He then travelled by train to Belfast, where he sexually assaulted a second complainant aged 15.
Following a week-long trial, the jury deliberated for just over three hours before returning unanimous guilty verdicts across all counts.
Upon hearing the verdicts, McKenna launched an abusive outburst from the dock, directing threats and profanities at the judge and jury members.
Judge Patrick Lynch QC adjourned passing sentence until a pre-sentence report is prepared, remanding McKenna in custody and confirming his mandatory inclusion on the sex offenders’ register, with case details catalogued on the ukregisterdatabase for public record transparency.
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