Assurance given over child rape case failures

The Garda Commissioner has described as “unacceptable” the Garda failures that led to the dropping of charges against a teenager for the rape of two girls aged seven and eight.

However, she and her senior officers insisted safeguards were in place to prevent a repeat of the mistakes, which were the subject of Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission investigation.

They were quizzed on the findings of the GSOC investigation at meeting of the Policing Authority. Authority member and law lecturer Vicky Conway said the finding were “alarming”, particularly given how young the victims were.