Student gets 2 days to enter plea over false rape claim

A Brazilian student accused of making a false report to gardaí claiming she had been raped in Dublin has been given two days to decide how she will plead.

Thais Regina De Oliveira, aged 20, who lives in Blackrock on the city’s southside, is charged with making a false statement to officers at Mountjoy Garda Station on August 25 last.

The English-language student spent five days in prison on remand before she was able to take up bail which had been set at €1,000.

Yesterday, she made her fifth appearance at Dublin District Court where Det Garda Kevin Keys said he had complied with an order for full disclosure of evidence to be handed over to Ms De Oliveira’s solicitor Peter Keatings.

Mr Keatings informed Judge Anthony Halpin said a “small disclosure issue” arose and he understood that the Garda had no objection to the case being adjourned for two days.

Ms De Oliveira remained silent during the brief hearing and was told by Judge Halpin that she will have to appear again tomorrow. He also said that the case will then be listed “for a plea”.

The DPP has directed that she be tried in the district court. On conviction in the district court a sentence of up to one year could be imposed.

Earlier, the district court had been told that as a result of the woman’s alleged claim, no one was arrested but “it came very close” and gardaí expended “significant resources”.