Man charged with serious assault on his ten week old daughter

Baby suffered severe head injuries and broken bones and remains in hospital five months later

A man (18) has been remanded on bail after he was charged with a serious assault on his ten-week-old baby daughter who suffered severe head injuries and some broken bones.

The infant received the injuries at an address in Co Louth five months ago and is continuing to be given 24-hour care at Temple Street Hospital in Dublin where she was transferred after the assault.

The man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the child under the provisions of the Children's Act, was arrested in the Mayfield area of Cork city on Thursday morning by gardaí from Co Louth.

He was brought before a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court in west Cork where he was charged with a single offence arising out of the assault on the girl.

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The man was charged with assault causing serious harm to the infant on March 13th, 2017 at an address in Co Louth contrary to Section 4 of the Non Fatal Offences Against the Person Act.

Sgt James McCumiskey from Co Louth gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and told the court that the accused made no reply when the charge was put to him after caution.

Inspector Fergal Foley told Judge Tim Lucey that the DPP had directed trial by indictment before a judge and jury but that gardaí had no objection to the accused being released on bail with conditions.

Judge Lucey remanded the accused on bail on his own bond of €500 to appear at Dundalk District Court on August 24th for service of the book of evidence against him in the case.

He ordered him, as part of his bail, to reside at an address in Cork city and sign on every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at Gurranebraher Garda station between 9am and 9pm.

He also made it a condition of the man’s bail that he would have no contact with any witness in the case and would provide gardaí with a mobile number at which he can be contacted at all times.

Barry Roche

Barry Roche

Barry Roche is Southern Correspondent of The Irish Times