Garda charged with sexual assault

A GARDA sergeant appeared in court yesterday accused of sexually assaulting two female colleagues last year.

The officer was in Dublin District Court, where he faces three counts of sexual assault on dates in March and June 2010.

Judge Bridget Reilly imposed reporting restrictions to prevent the identification of the complainants.

This included an order prohibiting publication of the defendant’s name, place of work and where the incidents allegedly occurred.

One complainant said she was sexually assaulted twice. The other complainant says it happened to her once.

Garda Inspector James Flood told Judge Reilly that it was alleged that during the first incident, “the accused pressed his pelvic area into her posterior and at the same time placed his hands on her hips and made a pumping motion, saying she likes it this way”.

The second alleged offence occurred two-and-a-half months later.

The court was told: “The accused came up towards her and pressed his left hand to the side of her left breast while saying ‘wake up’.”

Two days earlier, it is claimed, he sexually assaulted the other officer. She had leaned over when the defendant allegedly “grabbed the inside of her right upper thigh at the fleshy part, at which she screamed”.

“It is alleged the accused then said ‘I’d say you are some screamer in bed,’” Insp Flood added.