Courts / Dublin / Report

Man unfit to be tried for alleged child sexual assault

Summary

In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Judge Cormac Quinn ruled that a man, whose name is withheld for legal reasons, is unfit to stand trial for an alleged sexual assault on a child due to a mental disorder. The judge, after consulting with forensic psychiatrist Dr. Anthony Kearns, found that the defendant's social and intellectual abilities were significantly impaired, preventing him from following trial proceedings or mounting a proper defence. The court noted that the man denied wrongdoing and claimed any sexual activity was consensual. Judge Quinn highlighted the need for community disability services and ordered the local disability manager to act, citing past failures of local services. The case was adjourned to July 16 next year for a review of the defendant's fitness to plead and to stand trial. Fiona McGowan BL reported that psychiatric evidence was uncontested.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Man unfit to be tried for alleged child sexual assault. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• July 16 Adjournment
• 2019-07-16 Publication

Why: A judge has ordered that a man is unfit to stand trial for an alleged sexual assault on a child because of a mental disorder. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Charge Or Pretrial Violent Crime

Related court reports

• Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
• Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
• Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
• 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
• Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
• 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'

Read the original CNI report