Child rape accused sent forward for sentencing

A man accused of the rape of two girls in county Westmeath last year has been sent forward for sentencing at the present sitting of the Central Criminal Court.

Amid a large garda presence at Athlone District Court today (Wednesday) the man, who cannot me be named for legal reasons, made a brief appearance before Judge Seamus Hughes.

The 30-year-old father of two is charged with raping two girls, aged six and nine, in September last year.

At today’s court sitting State Solicitor for Westmeath Peter Jones applied for the accused to be remanded in custody to the present sitting of the Central Criminal Court.

Defence solicitor Gearóid Geraghty said his client is going forward on signed pleas on all five charges against him. The accused man signed each plea in court today before Judge Hughes.

Mr Geraghty, whose client is in receipt of legal aid, asked the court to certify for one senior and one junior counsel, which was granted by the judge. He stated that there would be no bail application.

The Westmeath State Solicitor Peter Jones then asked that a media ban on naming the accused remain in place to protect the injured parties.

Judge Seamus Hughes asked Mr Geraghty when the man was likely to come before a sentence hearing at the Central Criminal Court. Mr Geraghty replied that he had no idea of the timeframe.

The accused man had previously indicated his intent to plead guilty to all five charges in this case and had also waived his right for a book of evidence to be served, both of which were accepted previously by the Director of Public Prosecutions.