Irish firefighter Terence Crosbie has been convicted of committing a rape during St. Patrick’s Day festivities in March 2024 at Suffolk Superior Court in Boston. The 39-year-old was charged with sexually assaulting a 29-year-old woman, with the jury reaching a verdict after more than 15 hours of deliberation. Crosbie’s sentencing is scheduled for October 30.
Upon the delivery of the verdict, Crosbie’s relatives and companions, seated at the front row of the courtroom, were overwhelmed with emotion, breaking down in tears and concealing their faces in their hands. This conclusion followed a five-day trial at Suffolk Superior Court, as reported by Irish Star.
Crosbie was apprehended from an Aer Lingus flight shortly after being questioned by Boston Police Department detectives. The court learned that he had reserved a flight to Dublin for 10:10 pm on March 16, 2024, following the police interview. However, upon arrival at Logan Airport, he noticed an unlisted earlier flight to Dublin at 6:30 pm and made the switch. Video evidence from a Massachusetts State Police Sergeant’s body camera depicted Crosbie being escorted off the Aer Lingus aircraft.
During his stay in Boston for the St. Patrick’s Day parade with a group of Dublin firefighters, Crosbie’s victim recounted meeting his hotel roommate, Liam O’Brien, at the Black Rose pub on the evening of the incident. She described engaging in conversation, dancing, and sharing a kiss with O’Brien before they left the pub together and returned to the Omni Parker House hotel. The woman testified that they engaged in unprotected intercourse upon their return to the hotel, after which she went to the bathroom.
The victim recounted waking up to find another man, with an Irish accent, sexually assaulting her, confirming it was not O’Brien since he was asleep. Following the incident, she sent distressing text messages to a friend and coworker, detailing the alleged assault. She later sought medical assistance at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she reported the rape.
Despite vehemently denying the accusations, Crosbie maintained his innocence, stating that he had only briefly encountered the complainant and did not know her name. Surveillance footage from the pub, street, and hotel on the night in question was presented in court, showing Crosbie’s movements.
Multiple DNA experts testified during the trial that no identifiable traces of Crosbie’s DNA were found on swabs taken from the victim’s body. While two male contributors were identified in the DNA samples, there was no conclusive evidence linking Crosbie to the DNA found on the victim.
A jury consisting of six men and six women ultimately found Crosbie guilty of raping the 29-year-old woman. Crosbie is set to be sentenced on October 30.