Courts / Ireland / Report
Man accused of raping siblings claims he cannot get a fair trial
Summary
A man in his late thirties has filed a High Court application to stop the prosecution of four charges of rape and sexual assault against his younger siblings, alleged to have occurred in the late 1990s when he was aged 13 to 15. He argues that the law at the time made children aged 7 to 14 incapable of committing a criminal offence, and that the dates of the alleged offences are unclear, leaving open the possibility he was under 14. He seeks an order to prohibit further prosecution, declarations that the delay has prejudiced him, that a trial would be unfair and unjust, and that proceeding would breach his rights under the Irish Constitution and the European Convention of Human Rights. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan granted permission ex‑parte, put a stay on the prosecution, and adjourned the matter to June. The case is pending before the Central Criminal Court.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man accused of raping siblings claims he cannot get a fair trial. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial
When:
- 2019-04-08 Publication
Case subjects
Accused
Outcome: The judge, who put a stay on the prosecution from proceeding pending a further order from the court, adjourned the matter to a date in June.
Places mentioned
- High Court
- Central Criminal Court
Topics
Stage Charge Or Pretrial Violent Crime
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