Court bars sex abuse accused from contacting girl online

A man who appeared in court yesterday charged with 21 counts of sexual assault on a girl has been ordered not to contact the alleged victim — including contact through social media websites Facebook and Bebo.

The court was told the man, who cannot be named, made no reply after he was arrested and charged by gardaí yesterday.

The offences allegedly occurred on dates between 2002 and 2007, when the girl was aged between seven and 12.