Man admits raping girls aged 6 and 9

The DPP has agreed to accept guilty pleas from the man charged with raping two girls in Athlone.

The 30-year-old has yet to be returned to the Central Criminal Court, but it emerged yesterday that the signed pleas to all charges are acceptable to the DPP and the book of evidence is not required by the accused.

He has been on remand at Castlerea Prison since early October.

At the request of his solicitor, Gearóid Geraghty, he has been on suicide watch at the prison.

The accused, who cannot be named, faces a total of five charges; raping one of the girls three times and raping the second child twice.

All offences took place in Athlone on Sept 28. The victims are aged 6 and 9.

The girls had been attending a party in the area and the alarm was raised when they were discovered to be missing. It later emerged that they had been raped at a nearby house.

At Harristown District Court last month, Mr Geraghty confirmed his client had waived his right to the book of evidence and had indicated he would plead guilty to the charges when the case comes before the Central Criminal Court.

Mr Geraghty told Judge Geoffrey Browne that the DPP was accepting signed pleas in respect of the charges. He confirmed that his client waived his right to the book of evidence.