Man accused of raping girls to face trial next week

A 30-year-old man facing charges of repeatedly raping two girls is expected to be sent forward for trial next week.

There was drama in court in Co Roscommon yesterday when the defendant, who has pleaded guilty to five charges of raping the six- and nine-year-old girls, could not be produced in court when his case was called.

A prison officer advised the judge that there was a difficulty in transporting the accused and one other prisoner to the court — even though Harristown Court is located just yards from the walls of Castlerea Prison.

Judge Geoffrey Browne inquired whether the men could walk to the court, along with all other prisoners whose cases were listed. The officer replied that walking was not an option in respect of the two men in question.

The section of the prison in which they were detained was almost a mile from the court and transport had to be arranged. The officer requested that the case be left to the end of the court list.

The defendant, who cannot be named, appeared in court towards the end of the hearing, having had his case put back and after suitable transport was arranged to get him safely from his cell to the courthouse.

The girls had been attending a birthday party in Athlone on Sep 28 and the alarm was raised when they were discovered to be missing. It later emerged that they had been raped at a nearby house.

The accused has been on remand at Castlerea Prison since early October. At the request of his solicitor, Gearoid Geraghty, he has been on suicide watch.

He has appeared on a number of occasions at Harristown District Court. Mr Geraghty has confirmed his client is pleading guilty to all offences — three charges of raping one girl and two of raping the second child.

He is waiving his right to the book of evidence and the court has been advised that the early pleas of guilty are acceptable to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

When the accused appeared in court last week, Mr Geraghty said he could not understand why gardaí were continuing to make application for a further remand in custody to prepare the book of evidence.

Judge Geoffrey Browne also criticised the delay, describing it as ‘a total waste of State resources’.