Man arrested in Cork charged with sexually assaulting a teenager 23 times in the 1970s

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that it was a case to be dealt with by judge and jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court or that a signed plea of guilty could be entered. File picture: Larry Cummins

A 76-year-old man was arrested on Friday and charged with indecently assaulting a teenaged boy 23 times approximately 50 years ago.

Detective Garda Brendan Murray of the Protective Services Unit of An Garda Síochána formally arrested the elderly man and brought him before Cork District Court and charged him with the 23 counts.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said the Director of Public Prosecutions directed that it was a case to be dealt with by judge and jury at Cork Circuit Criminal Court or that a signed plea of guilty could be entered. 

The sergeant said his understanding was that a book of evidence would be required. Judge David Waters adjourned the case until October 23 at Cork District Court for preparation and service of a book of evidence.

Solicitor Stephen Cotter represented the accused man and confirmed that a book of evidence would be required. Parties to the case cannot be identified because of the nature of the allegations.

The indecent assault charges relate to a period between January 1975 and December 1979. Indecent assault is the name given to the offence of sexual assault prior to 1990 when there was a change in the law.

The allegations in this case that gave rise to the 23 charges were not outlined on Friday at Cork District Court. At the time of the alleged offences the complainant was in his early teens and the defendant was in his mid-20s.

There was no garda objection to bail being granted in the case on conditions. 

The first condition requires him to have no contact directly or indirectly with the complainant or any members of his family, sign on once a week at his local garda station, inform Det Garda Murray if he intends to leave the country at any stage and to provide a mobile phone number to gardaí at which he can be contacted at all times.