Man charged with five sex offences was 16 at time of first allegation

A BOOK of evidence has been served on a local man accused of the sexual assault and rape of a female over 15 years ago.

The man, who cannot be named, would’ve been aged just 16 years when he is alleged to have sexually assaulted a female on a date between June 30 and September 1, 2009.

He faces a further two charges of raping a female on dates between June 30 and September 1, the following summer.

He is also charged with the rape of a female between June 30 and September 1, 2012, and again, in 2013 between June 30 and September 1.

Sergeant Lisa McEntee said the Director of Public Prosecutions has instructed that the defendant be prosecuted on all five counts on indictment in the Central Criminal Court.

When the matter came before Judge Raymond Finnegan at Cavan District Court last month, a guard confirmed he had served the book of evidence to the defendant earlier that morning.

The judge gave the man an alibi warning, which gives his defence team 14 days from the service of the book of evidence to provide, in writing, any alibi he may want to use in his defence at his trial.

A section 56 order, which allows for a copy of any recording of the questioning of the man by gardaí in connection with the investigation to be given to his or her legal representative, was also made by the judge. Judge Finnegan also assigned legal aid for one senior and one junior counsel and advised that reporting restrictions on the matter continue.