William Ryan pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and false imprisonment charges

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

William Ryan pleaded not guilty to three counts of sexual assault and one count of false imprisonment of a woman at Aughrim Garda Station, Co Wicklow, on 29 September 2020. The proceedings were reported on 18 July 2024.

The State alleged that Ryan prevented the complainant from leaving the station and sexually assaulted her three times. She told the jury that she did not consent to any sexual contact and described being brought inside through a side door after visiting to ask about her son’s seized car.

Defence counsel Breffni Gordon suggested it would have been odd for Ryan to tell the woman on a call that he was going to have a shower and ask her to wear something tight. She said she was more concerned about her son’s car and had only had about three hours’ sleep.

The trial continued before Judge Elma Sheahan and a jury.