A GARDA member has appeared in court charged with the sexual assault of a minor.
The married man is facing one single count of being charged with the sexual assault of a girl under 18 years of age on November 27, 2016, contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law Rape Amendment Act.
At a provincial district court, the member - in his 40s - was returned for trial to the circuit court.
In court, Investigations Officer with the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC), Richard Gomm gave evidence of serving the Book of Evidence on the accused at 10.15am before court.
Those found guilty of sexual assault in the circuit court face a jail term of up to five years on conviction.
In the case, the State Solicitor for the area requested in court that as part of the accused’s bail conditions, he have no contact with two named persons who are witnesses in the case.
However, the solicitor for the accused objected to his client having no contact with those two people as one is his wife and the second is a Garda Superintendent who is the man’s liaison officer.
In reply, the State Solicitor for the area said that the accused can have contact with those people concerned but not discuss the case before the court with them.
The judge told the accused if an alibi forms any part of his defence that he had 14 days in which to provide the State with the alibi.
The judge also granted legal aid in the case to the accused for the district court and a fresh application can be made for legal aid in the circuit court.
