‘Tour bus shook like there was a disco’ – driver tells rape trial

A DRIVER has told the trial of two men accused of raping a woman following a Jason Derulo concert that the tour bus was “shaking about as if there was a disco upstairs” but said he couldn’t hear any music.

On day four of the trial at the Central Criminal Court, Patrick Bushby said that “it continued for 15 or 20 minutes and then the shaking stopped”.

The defendants, aged 35 and 44, deny the offences which are alleged to have occurred at an unknown location in Cork city on June 27, 2014.

The 35-year-old has pleaded not guilty to rape, oral rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment of the then 19-year-old woman. The 44-year-old has pleaded not guilty to anal rape and false imprisonment of the woman. Both men cannot be identified for legal reasons.

The court heard Mr Derulo is not charged with any offence.

Mr Bushby told Tim O’Leary SC, prosecuting, that Mr Derulo’s manager told him there was an “after-gig party” taking place at a Cork city nightclub, following the US singer’s concert at the Marquee.

Mr Bushby said it was absolutely chaotic outside the nightclub. “The bus was literally swamped with girls as soon as I opened the doors when I stopped,” he said.

He told the jury that he could see a girl in a jumpsuit talking to the 35-year-old accused.

Mr Bushby said he observed the girl get off the bus and make her way towards another bus before she changed her mind after speaking to the accused.

He said that gardaí arrived at his bus 10 minutes later, and informed him that there had been a report of an incident.

The trial continues.