Garda in court charged with rape and child cruelty offences in Donegal

A serving member of An Garda Síochána has been charged with rape and child cruelty in County Donegal.

The man appeared before Letterkenny District Court on Thursday morning.

He is accused of two counts of raping a female, offences that are alleged to have occurred in 2021 at an address in County Donegal.

The charges are contrary to section 48 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861 and Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981 as amended by section 21 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990.

The man is also charged with three counts of child cruelty between 2015 and 2024, also at a location in County Donegal.

He is charged with being a person having custody, charge and the care of a child did wilfully: assault, ill-treat and neglect the said child in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering/injury to the child’s health or seriously to affect her well being.  

The charges are contrary to section 246(1) and (2) of the Children Act, 2001.

The man is also charged that, on a date unknown between April 2021 and April 2022, at an address in County Donegal, he did assault a female, causing her harm. That charge is contrary to Section 3 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.

Sergeant Maurice Doyle told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that the matter be sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court. 

The accused man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons due to the nature of the alleged offences, was represented by solicitor Mr Robert Ryan.

Bail was granted on condition that he: reside at an address approved by Gardai; abide by a safety order that is in place; have no contact, directly or indirectly with any alleged injured parties; and to notify Gardai of any intention to travel outside of Ireland.

Judge Emile Daly adjourned to March 3, 2026 for the service of a book of evidence.