Trial opens of Donegal man on eight sexual assault charges

The trial of a Donegal man charged with eight counts of sexual assault has opened in Donegal.

The accused was accompanied by his parents as the trial began before Judge John Aylmer at Letterkenny courthouse.

The man, who is aged in his 20s, cannot be named for legal reasons in order to protect the identity of the alleged victim in the case.

Wearing a suit and tie, the defendant pleaded not guilty to each of the eight charges when he was formally arraigned before a jury was empanelled.

Counsel for the State, Ms Patricia McLaughlin BL, said there were eight incidents, where the defendant is accused of touching the woman in an indecent way.

The court heard that the alleged incidents began when the woman was aged 10 and the defendant was 13 and continued for a period of over four years.

The last alleged incident occurred after the girl had disclosed to her parents that she was sexually assaulted.

The man was subsequently arrested and interviewed by Gardai and has denied each of the charges.

The woman, who is now aged in her 20s, wept as she told how she fled out a window onto the roof of her house after the first incident.

On that occasion, she told how the accused was rubbing his hands over her chest area and moved down to her hips.

“I was scared,” she said. “I climbed out the window because I didn't like what he was doing. I asked him to stop touching me.”

The man is charged that he, on a date unknown between June 1, 2010 and September 1, 2010, both dates inclusive, sexually assaulted the woman by touching her buttocks and breasts.

He is charged that he, on a date unknown between June 1, 2010 and September 1, 2010, both dates inclusive, sexually assaulted the woman by touching her breasts and rubbing his penis against her buttocks.

On a date unknown between December 1, 2010 and January 31, 2011, both dates inclusive, the accused is charged with sexually assaulting the woman by touching her breasts.

The man is charged with another count of sexual assault, by touching the woman's breasts and genitals and rubbing his penis against her leg on a date unknown between June 1, 2012 and September 1, 2012, both dates inclusive.

The defendant is accused of sexually assaulting the woman by touching her breasts and rubbing his penis against her buttocks on a date unknown between June 1, 2011 and September 1, 2011, both dates inclusive.

The man is charged with another count of sexual assault, allegedly by rubbing his penis against the complainant's buttocks and back on a date unknown between June 1, 2013 and September 1, 2013, both dates inclusive.

He is further charged that he, on a date unknown between June 1, 2013 and September 1, 2013, both dates inclusive that he sexually assaulted the woman by digitally penetrating her vagina.

The man also stands charged that he, on a date unknown between December 1, 2014 and January 31, 2017, both dates inclusive, sexually assaulted the alleged victim by rubbing his penis against her buttocks and back.

The man separately pleaded not guilty to each charge when they were read to him by the court registrar.

The trial, before a jury of six men and six women, continues at Donegal Circuit Court.