A County Clare man has been found guilty of the defilement of a teenage girl who he claimed he was in an arranged marriage with.
The 22-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had pleaded not guilty to the crime against the 16 year old girl at a guest house in Ennis in July 2010.
This trial before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard evidence that the Clare accused drove the 16-year-old girl to a guest house in Ennis where the incident took place.
The 22 year old said one thing led to another as they were kissing, and relations were consensual.
But counsel for the prosecution put it to him that he actually forced himself on the victim.
The accused claimed that he thought she was aged 19 and that she had agreed to marry him after two earlier meetings.
He said he planned to go with her to "the Bishop of Offaly, named in court as Fr. Cox", because he was "sympathetic to these quick marriages".
But giving evidence via video link the victim denied agreeing to marry the man and said that he had destroyed her life.
The jury took just under four hours to find the 22 year old Clare man guilty and Judge Mary Ellen Ring remanded him in custody for sentencing later this month.
