Rape rap fireman: ‘I’m innocent’ BOSTON LAWYER VOWS TO FIGHT CASE

However, Minister McGrath said yesterday it will be kept under review as he acknowledged the “volatility” of oil prices.

“For a period of time a barrel of oil was hovering at around $80,” he said.

“It crept up towards $90 and now it’s fallen back down again.

“Of course, the wider geopolitical environment and the conflict that we’re seeing in parts of the world, including the Middle East is feeding into that volatility.

“The commitment I’ve given is that I will keep the issue under review.”

THE Irish firefighter accused of raping a woman in Boston over St Patrick’s Day weekend insists he is innocent.

Terence Crosbie (37) from Dublin is charged with raping a 28-year-old woman at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston.

He is being held on $100,000 (€93,500) bail and was ordered to surrender his passport and remain in Massachusetts after being charged with one count of rape in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court.

His attorney Daniel Reilly said Mr Crosbie maintains he is innocent. Mr Reilly told

IrishStar.com: “At this time, he has professed his innocence.

He is maintaining that and he is looking forward to fighting the case.”

Mr Crosbie was arrested on the runway of Boston Logan

Airport when he boarded a flight back to Ireland after being questioned by police

— days ahead of his scheduled departure.

Scared

Mr Reilly said: “I think he was scared and didn’t have anywhere to turn. So where does one go when one is worried and scared? One goes home.

“The consulate was not open on the weekend. So I think that was probably what was going through his mind.”

Mr Crosbie appeared in the Central Division of Boston Municipal Court on Wednesday for a hearing of his attorney’s request for additional records from the Omni Parker House and the Black Rose pub in Boston — two locations where Mr Crosbie was on the night of the alleged attack.

The defence are seeking a more expansive window of video surveillance from both the bar and the hotel. The defence is also seeking employee information from the hotel.

Mr Reilly said: “CCTV footage from bars and hotels tends to be written over after 30 days.

“We want to make sure we get to that before it might disappear, before memories might fade, in case it shows anything that is exculpatory or might serve as alter impeachment evidence.”

Vague

The prosecution argued that the defence’s request for employee information is too vague and irrelevant. They said the defence should subpoena the records from the police.

The judge said it is understandable that the defence may want to obtain the records themselves and “not rely solely on the Commonwealth.”

Mr Crosbie remains in custody pending his next court appearance.

His attorney said that the case will likely proceed to the Massachusetts

Supreme Court.