Dublin man sent for trial on 50 counts of child sex abuse

A Dublin man has been served with a book of evidence and sent forward for trial on multiple counts of child sex abuse and exploitation.

The defendant, who is in his 50s and cannot be identified for legal reasons, is facing 50 charges, including allegations he sexually assaulted one girl on three occasions and that he induced another girl into making pornography.

The man is also accused of engaging in a sexual act with a child under the age of 17 and was served with a book of evidence when he made his second appearance at Dublin District Court today.

Judge Cormac Dunne noted the DPP had consented to the accused being returned for trial on indictment.

Judge Dunne made an order sending him forward for trial to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court where he will face his next hearing on May 23rd.

The judge also gave him the standard warning that if he intended to use an alibi in his defence he must inform the prosecution, including the relevant names and addresses, within 14 days.

The man, who has has not yet indicated how he will plead, was accompanied to the hearing by his solicitor Michael Hennessy, and he replied “yes, judge”.

Under the terms of bail, he has to sign on daily at a north Dublin Garda station two days each week. He has already surrendered his passport but cannot apply for duplicate travel documents and the Department of Foreign Affairs has been notified of this condition.

He is facing 40 charges relating to exploitation of a teenage girl contrary to Section 3 of the Child Trafficking and Pornography Act 1998.

One sample charge states that on a date unknown between December 1st, 2008 and March 21st, 2011, both dates inclusive, at a place within the State, he is alleged to have sexually exploited a named child by inviting, inducing or coercing her to engage in the production of child pornography.

Another sample charge under this legislation states that he is accused that on a date in March 2011, at a place unknown, he sexually exploited her by inviting, inducing or coercing her to engage or participate in a sexual, indecent or obscene act.

In seven other charges it is alleged that he engaged in sexual acts with a child aged under 17 on dates in 2011, Contrary to Section 3 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) Act, 2006.

He is also accused of three counts of sexual assault of another girl which allegedly occurred: at two locations in Dublin in March and June 2007, and at a location in a Co. Donegal town in the same year.