A man has gone on trial accused of raping a tourist on a Dublin city street just hours after she rang in the New Year with a friend of hers.

The man, who can't be identified due to the nature of the charge, claims what happened between them in the early hours of New Year’s Day 2019 was consensual.

In his opening speech, prosecuting barrister Tony McGillicuddy SC told the jury that the Spanish woman travelled to Dublin with a friend to celebrate NYE 2018.

After becoming separated from her friend sometime after midnight, he said the man is alleged to have approached her as she stood outside a shop on Dame Street.

He said she was feeling unwell and asked him how to get to a certain bar.

The jurors were told there is footage of them walking to a street behind Dublin Castle, where he’s alleged to have raped her at around 2am.

Separately, Mr McGillicuddy said a claim of rape was made against a second man in relation to sexual activity in a Dublin hotel room a few hours later.

But he pointed out that no charge was brought against that second man, and that the accused is the only person to have been charged with rape, which he denies.

A Garda station. Image: Alamy