Man allegedly sexually harassed woman during party in Dublin

The man is accused of touching the woman outside of her clothing during a party last summer.

The case was adjourned before Blanchardstown District Court to allow the defendant to decide how he would respond to the charges.

The defendant, in his forties, is accused of sexually abusing the woman on a day in June 2023.

The charge is based on section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990.

A Garda sergeant informed Judge David McHugh, the Attorney General, that he had agreed to the case being dealt with at district court level, subject to consideration of the jurisdictional issue.

Judge McHugh asked for an overview of the proposed evidence.

The sergeant said the complainant came to a police station in the west of the city and stated that she had been at a party between 2:30 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. on the day in question.

“It is alleged that the defendant touched the injured person on the buttocks, outside of her clothing,” the sergeant said.

Judge McHugh accepted jurisdiction and allowed the case to remain in the District Court. He ordered the prosecution’s evidence to be disclosed to the defense and adjourned the case to a date in September to comply with that order.

The judge also granted free legal aid after the defendant’s lawyer, Ciaran MacLoughlin, made an application and submitted a statement of the man’s financial means. The lawyer said he was applying for legal aid in view of the man’s income and the “nature of the charges”.

The defendant has not yet announced how he intends to plead.