Charge of false sex abuse claims denied
Added on May 15, 2007
Fiona Gartland
Tue, May 15, 2007
The trial of a man charged with making false claims of sexual abuse against a priest began at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
The 34-year-old Dublin man appeared before Judge Patricia Ryan and was accused of making a false statement on June 18th, 2003, at Kevin Street Garda station, in relation to offences of indecent assault and buggery by a priest between February and May 1981.
A jury of eight men and four women was sworn in and the charges against the defendant were read out, to which he pleaded not guilty.
The jury was then directed to leave the court, to allow legal argument to take place before the judge.
Counsel for the DPP, Dominic McGinn, made an application to the court that the name of the priest, against whom the statement was made, be withheld from media reports of the proceedings.
He also asked that the defendant's name be withheld, on the ground that it might help to identify the priest.
The judge granted the application. She also agreed that 31 witnesses due to give evidence in the trial should not be present during one another's testimony.
Legal argument in relation to the case will continue in the court today in the absence of the jury.
The jury is due to be recalled tomorrow to hear the prosecution's opening statement.
? 2007 The Irish Times