Courts / Wicklow / Report

Court backs trial judge's direction to acquit man of historic child abuse charges

Date
2022-03-10

Stage
Appeal

Primary locality
Bray

County
Wicklow

Summary

In March 2022 the Court of Appeal upheld a trial judge's decision to direct a jury to acquit a 72‑year‑old man of four historic child sex‑abuse charges. The accused had pleaded not guilty to indecent assault allegations dated between April 1968 and December 1970, involving a complainant aged seven to nine at the time. The complainant first reported the allegations to Gardaí in January 2015. The case was returned to the Bray Circuit Criminal Court in November 2016 and the trial began in March 2019. After a single day, the judge refused the Director of Public Prosecutions an adjournment and, because the chief witness could not attend, directed the jury to acquit the accused of all charges. The Director of Public Prosecutions sought a judicial review, arguing the judge had exceeded his jurisdiction, but the High Court dismissed that claim.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Court backs trial judge's direction to acquit man of historic child abuse charges. Charges or matters: four counts of indecent assault which were alleged to have taken place between April 1968 and December 1970. Procedural stage: appeal

When: