Irish ex-rugby player found guilty of rape in France

Denis Coulson was sentenced on Friday at Bordeaux's Cour d'Asisses.

Former Ireland U20 rugby international Denis Coulson has been sentenced to 14 years in prison after he was found guilty of the rape of a woman in Bordeaux, France, in 2017.

Dublin-born Coulson, who also played for Connacht and French side Stade Français, was one of two former Irish international rugby players sentenced on Friday at Bordeaux's Cour d'Asisses.

County Tyrone-born Chris Farrell, who was a member of Ireland's Grand Slam-winning 2018 Six Nations squad, was handed a four-year sentence with two years suspended for failure 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.

Former Irish rugby player Chris Farrell was sentenced for failure to prevent a crime.

The two men were on trial with three other rugby players, two of whom were also found guilty of rape on Friday.

All five men were once teammates together at FC Grenoble.

Loick Jammes, 30, from France, 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.

Fellow New Zealander 30-year-old Dylan Hayes was given a two-year suspended sentence for failure to prevent a crime.

All five defendants had denied the charges against them.

The trial in Bordeaux was held behind closed doors, with no members of the public or media present, at the request of the lawyers for the complainant.

Proceedings got under way last week and the jury, who began deliberations earlier on Friday, came back with a verdict hours later.

Coulson joined Grenoble in 2014 and played for the side until 2017.

Farrell, who is originally from Fivemiletown in County Tyrone, joined Grenoble in 2014 and played there until 2017.

Farrell was capped 15 times for Ireland, including at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.