17-year-old charged with sexual assault of Chinese student

A 17-year-old boy was brought before the Dublin Children’s Court today charged with sexually assaulting a young Chinese student who was attacked as she made her way home from work.

The court heard that the then 16-year-old boy, who is in care and now attending a therapeutic clinic in England, allegedly demanded sex and repeatedly banged her head off the ground after he pulled off her trousers and underwear.

Garda Neil O’Gorman, of the Bridewell station, told Judge Ann Ryan that he arrested the boy yesterday (TUE) morning for sexually assaulting the woman, on Dublin’s North Brunswick Street, on December 30 last.

In an outline of the evidence he told the court it was alleged the student “was making her way home from work. The accused allegedly grabbed her from behind and knocked her to the ground.”

“It is alleged he shouted at her that he wanted sex, he then pulled down her pants and underwear and then touched her.”

A struggle ensued during which the woman, who is in her twenties, kicked out.

Garda O’Gorman alleged the west Dublin boy then “hit her head on the ground a number of times. The injured party continued to fight and the accused fled from the scene.”

The Director of Public Prosecutions had stated it was a matter for the presiding judge in the Children’s Court to decide if the case should be retained there or sent forward to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Defence solicitor Moirin Moynihan pleaded with the court not to send the case to the Circuit Court.

She submitted to Judge Ann Ryan that the boy had at all stages made himself available to the gardaí. Seven months ago, the boy accepted social services’ advice to attend a placement in a therapeutic clinic in England, for two years.

She also submitted that the proceedings could be drawn out in the Circuit Court and that could affect his therapy.

Judge Ryan noted the seriousness of the allegations and the fact that the victim had been traumatised. However she also said that she noted the submissions made by the defence and accepted jurisdiction for the case to stay in the Children’s Court.

She remanded the boy, who was accompanied to court by care workers, on bail to appear again next month when he is to enter a plea to the charge. She made it a condition of his bail that in the meantime he is to continue residing at the clinic in England.