62-year-old from Cork charged with 12 counts of rape

A 62-year-old man was arrested on Friday and charged with raping and indecently assaulting a young girl — in a case where the earliest charge dates back 50 years.

Detective Garda John Paul Twomey of the Garda Protective Services Unit, arrested the 62-year-old at his home in Cork at 8.15am on Friday.

At 8.50am the detective charged him with carrying out 12 rapes on the one girl, and indecently assaulting her seven times.

The alleged indecent assaults commenced when she was only three years old, and the alleged rapes commenced when she was six. “To each charge he replied, ‘I didn’t do it’,” Det Garda Twomey testified at Cork District Court.

Sergeant Pat Lyons said there was no objection to the accused being remanded on bail but that he was required to have no contact, direct or indirect, with the complainant.

Judge Olann Kelleher explained to the defendant that this included social media. It also requires him to have no contact with the complainant’s sister.

It is understood that there is a family relationship between the parties, and there are reporting restrictions on identification of the parties.

Sgt Lyons said the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that the case would proceed at the Central Criminal Court.

The case is to proceed to trial by indictment, or he can sign a plea of guilty at the district court and be sentenced at the Central Criminal Court. Pat Horan, defence solicitor, said a book of evidence would be required.

The 62-year-old defendant is being charged with seven counts of indecent assault between the years of 1972 and 1975, and twelve counts of rape between 1975 and 1981.

None of the allegations were outlined in the course of the hearing at Cork District Court.