Woman alleges sex assault after night out with friends

Court told it is an issue of consent

The court was told the four young people knew each other and ended up in one bed after a night socialising where the woman alleges she was sexually assaulted by one of the men.

Four young people out socialising together returned to a house in Cork where they all ended up in the one bed and now the woman has made a complaint to gardaí that one of the three men sexually assaulted her.

Detective Garda Kevin Hastings of the Garda Protective Services Unit said that was the allegation made by the young woman in the case.

“The four parties knew each other — three male and one female — and were out socialising together and they returned home to a house where all four of them ended up in a bed,” Det Garda Hastings said at Cork District Court.

The detective said the defendant texted an apology to the complainant the next morning.

Defence solicitor, Frank Buttimer, said during an application for bail: “In the context of the apology for the conduct, it was not an acknowledgement of criminality — he felt (the complainant) consented to certain activity.”

The detective said: “It is correct that consent is an issue. The injured party says she did not consent.”

The 25-year-old who is accused of sexual assault applied to be released on bail but Sergeant Pat Lyons said there was a Garda objection.

Mr Buttimer said the defendant has no record, fully co-operated and had commitments in Cork, and would not leave the jurisdiction if granted bail.

“He wants to be here for the case. He wants to have his good name established,” the solicitor said.

Judge Olann Kelleher granted him cash bail of €5,000, to be lodged in court.

The accused is required to have no communication with the complainant, surrender his travel documents, and sign on regularly at his local Garda station.

The alleged incident occurred on January 6. The case was adjourned with the accused man remanded on bail until April 18.