A mother and two men have been charged with the rape and sexual abuse of the woman’s two children over a two-year period.
They were arrested during early morning Garda raids at two houses in Co Galway.
All three, who cannot be identified in order to protect the children’s identities, were brought before Galway District Court on Friday. They were granted bail with strict conditions attached.
The 36-year-old woman is charged with four counts of raping her daughter on various dates between October 20th, 2012 and October 10th, 2013. She is also charged with the false imprisonment and 10 counts of the sexual exploitation of the girl between the same dates.
The woman is also charged with 10 counts of sexually assaulting the girl and with one charge of reckless endangerment by permitting the girl to be placed in a situation that created a risk go her becoming a victim of sexual abuse.
The woman is further charged with the reckless endangerment of her son on dates between January 1st, 2013 and September 3rd, 2014, by permitting him to be placed in a situation that created a risk to him becoming a victim of sexual abuse.
The woman’s 48-year-old partner faces 10 counts of raping the girl and a further 10 counts of raping the boy. He is also charged with 20 counts of sexual exploitation, 20 counts of sexually assaulting both children, two counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of false imprisonment. All of the charges relate to dates between October 20th, 2012 and September 3rd, 2014.
The second man, aged 53, is charged with 20 counts of raping the boy. He is also charged with 10 counts of sexual assault and 10 counts of sexual exploitation of the boy. The man is also charged with four counts of raping the girl and with a further four counts of sexually assaulting her.
He is further charged with four counts involving the sexual exploitation of the girl.
All of the offences are alleged to have occurred at the man’s own home during the same dates as above.
Judge Mary Fahy remanded all three accused on bail by consent to appear back before her court again next month for service of books of evidence.
Owing to the seriousness of the charges, Judge Fahy said she was granting free legal aid to all three, who had separate solicitors appointed to represent them. The judge also imposed reporting restrictions regarding the identities of all three accused, to protect the children’s identities.