A Westmeath man has been jailed for ten years for raping a 14 year old girl in a field as she walked to her friend's house.

24-year-old Martin Stokes was convicted on Tuesday after a 17 day trial during which he called the girl a liar and claimed that she was an enthusiastic consenting party.

Stokes was linked to the crime through his DNA and about ten witnesses who saw him in the area at the time.

He initially denied knowing the girl but when the case came to trial for a second time he claimed that he had consensual sex with her.

Mr Justice Moran imposed a 12 year sentence with the final two years suspended on strict conditions.