Man charged with 27 sex offences in Donegal to face trial

A man in his 50s accused of 27 sex offences in Donegal has been sent for trial.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will go on trial at the Central Criminal Court.

The accused, whose address is in Dublin, has been charged with 24 counts of sexual assault.

He is also to go on trial accused of three counts of rape.

The man appeared via video link before a brief hearing at Letterkenny District Court.

Sergeant Gerard Dalton gave evidence of serving a book of evidence on the accused’s solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian.

Sergeant Dalton told the court that he served the book at 10.25am on March 21, 2022.

The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions has consented for the accused to be sent forward for trial to the present sitting of the Central Criminal Court.

The defendant was remanded in custody with consent to bail. He is to provide Gardaí with the address at which he will reside and be contactable by mobile phone.

Judge Deirdre Gearty administered the alibi warning and made a section 56 order relating to tapes of interviews.

Reporting restrictions have been imposed in the case.

Legal aid was granted to Mr Dorrian and two legal counsel assigned due to what Judge Gearty called ‘the nature of and volume of the charges’.