Additional reporting by Tom Tuite
A man who is charged in relation to a sexual assault on a 10-year-old girl in west Dublin last October has been given a trial date.
The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was initially charged with sexual assault of the girl at Garter Lane in Saggart on October 20, 2025, and was remanded in custody a day later.
Today, the Circuit Criminal Court set a trial date for the 6th of April 2027, with the proceedings expected to last for five or six days.
An Arabic interpreter was certified for the duration of the trial, which is to commence in Court 7 on that date.
At a previous hearing, the 26-year-old non-Irish national appeared at Cloverhill District Court for his ninth hearing and was served with a book of evidence by the prosecution.
On that date, Judge Áine Shannon granted a return for trial order and remanded him in custody to appear at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on a date in May.
Earlier, Garda Sergeant Connolly said the man replied, “I have nothing to say,” to that charge in respect of the girl who had been missing from State care.
After the initial charge, a second count was brought against the accused for sexual assault of the same complainant at another location close to Garter Lane.
His reply to that charge was “I spoke to my solicitor and told him she sat beside me; you can check the CCTV. She started talking to me and I asked her her age, she told me she was 18. I just kissed her”.
Garda Sergeant Connolly has already said the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed trial on indictment.
The man had the assistance of an Arabic interpreter during the hearing after the courtroom was cleared for the in-camera proceedings.
There was no application for bail.
Legal aid was granted. He must notify the prosecution within 14 days if he intends to use an alibi in his defence.
Following the alleged assault, there were violent scenes in Citywest, Dublin, resulting in more than 30 arrests, and gardaí suffering injuries, and a Garda vehicle was burned out. Court prosecutions have commenced while an investigation continues to identify others at the scene.