Man appears in court over abduction of schoolgirl (14)

A 24-year-old man appeared before Dublin District Court at the weekend charged in connection with the abduction of a 14-year-…

A 24-year-old man appeared before Dublin District Court at the weekend charged in connection with the abduction of a 14-year-old schoolgirl in Co Carlow last week.

Mr Michael Martin, with an address at Churchlane, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow, was formally arrested in Dublin on Saturday. He appeared later that day in court, where he was charged under Section 17 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. The court heard that, in reply to the charge, the defendant said he did not abduct anyone and would fight the case to clear his name.

He was remanded in custody at Clover Hill Prison and will appear in court there tomorrow.

Mr Martin was arrested by gardaí from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation who were investigating the disappearance of Amanda Shine from her home last Monday. The Carlow schoolgirl was found at Dublin's Connolly Station last Friday night.