Child’s interview discussed at sexual assault trial

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

A 29-year-old childcare worker has pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls at a Leinster creche between February 2015 and December 2016. He cannot be named to protect the complainants’ identities.

The proceedings were reported on 2 March 2020. The trial was continuing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.

Garda Ciara Holmes told defence barrister Seán Guerin SC that it was an “oversight” that she had not told two complainants to tell the truth during interviews in January 2017. She said she had no excuse and agreed that it was not in line with child-interview guidelines.

Garda Louise Curtin gave evidence about the second complainant, who initially declined to be interviewed before taking part in a recorded interview. Garda Curtin said she was unsure whether the girl, then aged six, had been told she did not have to speak to gardaí, and agreed she had not made a note of such a conversation.

The court heard that the girl had told gardaí she did not understand the truth. Garda Curtin agreed with Mr Guerin that the girl’s statement that she would have to keep coming back appeared to reflect a fear. Garda Curtin said the girl’s mother had reassured her and that she believed the child was okay to be interviewed on video.