A man in his 20s who is charged with raping and sexually assaulting a teenage girl has been refused bail after appearing before Dún Laoghaire District Court.
The accused man (24), who lives in Dublin, is charged with orally raping, sexually assaulting and attempting to rape the girl in a laneway on September 29, 2025.
Judge Anne Watkin refused bail under Section 2 of the Bail Act, citing the seriousness of the alleged offences and the strength of the evidence.
Objecting to bail, Detective Garda Patrick O’Connor told the court that officers had obtained CCTV and DNA evidence during their investigation.
Detective Garda O’Connor said he had spoken to the complainant in recent days and described her as very nervous.
Defence solicitor, Andrew Vallely, told Judge Anne Watkin that the accused was not a flight risk and was unlikely to interfere with witnesses. He said the accused answered his front door when gardaí called to arrest him.
Judge Watkin said she accepted it was unlikely that the accused would abscond. She also said there was no indication he would interfere with witnesses, noting that the complainant and the accused were not known to one another.
Describing the application as “one of the most difficult” she had dealt with, Judge Watkin said: “I have every reason to refuse bail and I have every reason to grant it. I am in two minds – that’s the truth”.
However, she said there was “very significant evidence” before the court and that, on balance, the seriousness of the alleged offences and the strength of the evidence meant she must refuse bail under Section 2 of the Act.
The accused man was remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison until July 7.
Legal aid was assigned.