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Father told girl that sex assault was most serious allegation, creche trial hears

Summary

In a creche sexual assault trial, a 29‑year‑old accused pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of assaulting four girls aged five to eight between February 2015 and December 2016. The trial has heard evidence from one complainant, now 11, who was interviewed at eight by a specialist Garda in January 2017. She described the accused touching her privates in several creche locations, including a book corner, a bus, a toilet cubicle and a windowsill, often with his hand and phone. She said the contact hurt her and that the accused asked if she liked it, to which she replied no. The accused's father testified that his daughter told him the man had touched her privates and that the father had told the child that the matter was serious, that police would be involved if it was deliberate, and that he had not told her mother to avoid a reaction.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Father told girl that sex assault was most serious allegation, creche trial hears. Charges or matters: 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls at a creche in Leinster on dates between February 2015 and December 2016. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• February 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• January 2017 Hearing Or Sentence
• November 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
• December 12 Incident
• 2020-02-26 Publication

Why: The man said he told the child not to tell her mother and he testified he did this because he knew "the way my wife would have reacted and I was trying to be more rational". CNI source report

Case subjects

Topics

Sexual Offences Stage Trial Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report