A 17-year-old boy has been sent forward for trial to the Central Criminal Court charged with rape and attempted rape of a female in a public park in Dublin.
The teenager, who has the legal right to anonymity, appeared before Judge Brendan Toale at the Dublin Children’s Court to be served with a book of evidence.
Judge Toale acceded to the Director of Public Prosecutions’ request to grant a return for trial sending the teen forward to the Central Criminal Court. A date has yet to be allocated for his next hearing.
Earlier, Garda Ellen Sharp said she brought the boy to a north Dublin station, and “he made reply after caution and was handed a true copy of each charge”.
He was charged in the presence of his mother.
Bail terms had been agreed between the garda and the teen’s lawyers.
He had to surrender his passport and must not contact the complainant.
The offences, contrary to the Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981, are alleged to have occurred in a park in Dublin on a date last year when the defendant was aged 16.
Due to the nature of the charges, the Children’s Court does not have the power to consider accepting jurisdiction to deal with the case at that level.
The court heard that the charges arose out of the same incident.
No facts about the allegations were given during the proceedings.
Judge Toale granted legal aid to the teen, who has not yet indicated a plea.
Reporting by Tom Tuite
