Woman raped by Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie suing Court TV over trial coverage

The woman who was raped by Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie is suing US network Court TV, alleging that it wrongfully identified her during coverage of the high-profile trial . The civil complaint was filed on Monday and revealed that the woman is seeking $2.8m in damages, both compensatory and punitive. The woman, identified during the trial as a 29-year-old attorney, filed the 13-page complaint under the alias Jane Doe. The suit alleges that during a livestream of her testimony, Court TV featured her full name in a banner at the bottom of the screen, reports the Irish Star . 39-year-old Crosbie was tried twice, after the first trial ended with a deadlocked jury. The alleged name leak occurred during the second trial, in which he was found guilty following more than 15 hours of jury deliberations. He was sentenced to between seven and nine years in prison in October 2025. Judge Joshua Wall ruled during the trial that the victim’s identity and image not be revealed to the public. The complaint called Court TV’s actions a "flagrant" abuse of the permission they were granted and argued that the network, which regularly airs sensitive cases, should have known better. "There was nothing ambiguous about the conditions, nothing unusual, given the law’s protection of victims of sexual assault in Massachusetts, and nothing new to Court TV, who has covered such trials in Massachusetts for decades," Doe’s complaint added. The complaint argued that the "irresponsible" public disclosure of the woman’s name made her the recipient of "vile and reprehensible" criticism from the public that has had a lasting, traumatic impact. "Indeed, to this day, references to Doe’s identity appear in vile and derogatory comments on coverage about the trial across platforms," the complaint said. After the victim’s name was published on the livestream, the video footage was shared to their YouTube channel, Facebook page, and other social media accounts, causing her identity to go viral, the complaint said. The suit also claimed that after the initial violation and warning, Court TV published the victim’s name a second time. "The damage was done — and permanent," the complaint said. "Doe’s identity had spread, and similar commentary appeared on sites beyond Court TV’s reach." The complaint stated that her reputation has been harmed, and she has suffered a number of alarming physical symptoms as a result of the traumatic situation, including difficulty breathing, nausea, headaches and exhaustion. The complaint states that the victim’s need for therapy has increased, and panic attacks have created the need for additional prescription medications. It added that she regularly uses over-the-counter sleep aids for relief. Lawyers representing Court TV did not immediately respond to the Irish Star’s request for comment. The Boston Globe reported that they could not reach lawyers for Jellysmack, the new owners of the digital network. The victim claimed to have written to Court TV’s parent company in January, offering to resolve the matter for $2.8 million in actual damages. However, when this was rebuffed, she initiated the complaint that demands a jury trial on allegations of invasion of privacy, unfair and deceptive business practices, and intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress. Crosbie remains in prison at the Old Colony Correction Center in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Sign up to the Irish Mirror's Courts and Crime newsletter here and get breaking crime updates and news from the courts direct to your inbox.