Former Irish rugby player found guilty of rape in France

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

By: irishmirror.ie

Dec 13 2024
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Former Irish U20 player 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.

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

Chris Farrell, a member of Ireland's Grand Slam-winning 2018 Six Nations squad, was given a four-year sentence with two years suspended for failing to prevent a crime.

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

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

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

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

All five men - Coulson, Jammes, Grice, Hayes and Farrell - were once teammates together at FC Grenoble.

The incident happened in a hotel room in Mérignac, a suburb of Bordeaux, after Grenoble had 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 presiding judge had excluded media from proceedings at the request of lawyers for the alleged victim.