Online fundraiser for Dublin firefighter accused of rape in US taken down

Irish Daily Mirror

2 days ago

An online fundraising campaign launched by the family of Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie, who is accused of raping an American woman in a Boston hotel room in March last year, has been shut down.
The 38-year-old's court hearing last month which ended in a mistrial heard that the Dublin native was in the American city with work colleagues as part of the St Patrick's Day celebrations on March 14, last year.
His trial, in which he pleaded not guilty, began in the Suffolk County Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts on June 9, before presiding judge Sarah Weyland Ellis.
Mr Crosbie's next trial is due to take place on October 14. After declaring the mistrial, Judge Ellis increased his bail from $10,000 to $50,000, declaring him a flight risk.
It is alleged that on March 14 last year Crosbie raped the now 29-year-old woman at the Omni Parker House, a hotel in downtown Boston. Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland on the same day of the alleged incident with colleagues and that he was scheduled to leave the following Tuesday, March 18.
Mr Crosbie was sharing a hotel room with a fellow firefighter, whom the alleged victim said she had consensual sex with after meeting earlier in the Black Rose pub. They subsequently fell asleep in separate beds. Terence Crosbie.
The victim alleged that she woke in the early hours of the following day to another man sexually assaulting her, and identifying him to police as the defendant.
The fundraiser, Family, Friends & Colleagues for Terence Crosbie on gofundme.com claimed on Friday that "without immediate support," he may lose the "very legal team that knows his case best and has worked tirelessly to defend him.
"That would not only delay his case further, prolonging his unjust confinement, but would risk the fairness of the proceedings altogether."
The organisers outlined that: "Since March 2024, Terence (Terry) Crosbie has been incarcerated in Suffolk County Jail, thousands of miles from home and separated from his beloved wife and two young daughters. He is facing serious legal proceedings in the United States, a foreign country where the legal system is unfamiliar and the costs are staggering."
They added that from the very beginning, Mr Crosbie has fully cooperated with law enforcement and "steadfastly maintained his innocence."
In a statement on the fundraising site, organisers continued: "In order to defend himself and clear his name, he and his family sought out highly respected legal counsel—attorneys who believe in him and have built a strong defence.
"Terry's legal team fought hard for him in his first trial. But despite their efforts, the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. That means a second trial is now required—and the fight continues.
"The emotional and financial toll of defending oneself abroad is more than any one family can bear alone. Terry's loved ones have poured everything they have into supporting him, but the continuing legal costs—attorney's fees, expert witnesses, trial preparation—are simply too great."
The fundraiser reveals that the firefighter's family "misses him so deeply".
"Terry is a devoted husband, a loving father, and a kind and loyal friend. His wife and daughters are counting down the days until they can hold him again. Your generosity, your prayers, and your willingness to share this page with others—they all mean more than words can say." Terence Crosbie, 38
However, the GoFundMe fundraiser is no longer online and no reason has been provided for it being removed either by the campaign organisers or by the company which runs the website. More than €10,000 had been raised by donations prior to the online campaign being removed.
In the court hearing defence counsel contended that Mr Crosbie did not rape the woman and that his DNA was not found on her.
The Dublin man's defence team repeatedly asked the woman about her account of events focusing on aspects of her story they claim changed at last month's trial.
Crosbie has been detained at Nashua Street jail in Boston since his arrest last year.
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