Inishowen man accused of sexual abuse of four young girls appears in court

An Inishowen man has been sent forward for trial to the Circuit Court on ten charges of historical sexual assault against four different females, all of whom were young children at the time.

The defendant, who is local and aged in his late 40s, appeared before Carndonagh District Court for service of the Book of Evidence.

He cannot be named to protect the identity of his alleged victims.

The sexual abuse is alleged to have taken place on unknown dates between September 1995 and September 1998 in the Inishowen area.

Garda Christopher McGinley told the court how he had served the Book of Evidence on the accused on July 15, 2025 at Buncrana Courthouse.

Inspector Sean McDaid said the Director of Public Prosecutions consents to the accused being sent forward for trial to the next sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court on charges 1-10 in the statement of charges in the Book of Evidence.

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Judge Eiteain Cunningham made an order returning the man for trial to the next sitting of Letterkenny Circuit Court, commencing on October 28, 2025.

The judge gave the defendant the ‘alibi warning’.

“If you intend to rely on alibi evidence in the defence of your case in the Circuit Court, you must give written notice within fourteen days of today’s date and your solicitor will explain that to you further.”

She also made the “usual Section 56 Order”, directing the prosecution to share all copies of Garda interviews in the case with the defence.

The man’s solicitor applied for Legal Aid for two counsel.

“There are ten charges in the Book of Evidence across four complainants. That lends a certain degree of complexity to this case, which requires the expertise of two counsels,” they said.

Inspector McDaid said there was no Garda objection to the application.

The man, who appeared in court alone, was released on continuing bail. He signed a bail bond before leaving the courtroom.