Man denies raping two young girls at Christmas

THE trial has begun of a 42-year-old man accused of raping two young sisters in a house in a south Kerry town in the Christmas period of 2001/2002.

A jury of six men and six women have been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Tralee, to try the man on a total of 11 counts of a sexual nature.

The charges, to which he has pleaded not guilty, include rape, oral rape and attempted anal rape along with sexual assault.