Gardaí unable to speak to girl (10) allegedly sexually assaulted in Dublin due to medical advice, court hears

Tom Tuite

Gardaí have been unable to speak to a 10-year-old girl, who was allegedly sexually assaulted in west Dublin last month, “due to medical advice”, a court has heard.

The accused, aged 26, who cannot be identified due to the nature of the charge, faced his third hearing on Wednesday when he appeared via video link before Judge Alan Mitchell at Cloverhill District Court.

He is accused of sexual assault of a female at Garter Lane in Saggart on October 20th 2025, after the girl went missing from care.

To date, he has not applied for bail and appeared via video link after the courtroom was cleared for the in-camera proceedings.

Garda Sergeant Sinead Connolly said the Director of Public Prosecutions’s directions were not yet available, adding, “We haven’t yet spoken to the complainant due to medical advice,” later adding, “she is in a secure facility – due to medical advice, we can't speak to her.”

The sergeant stated, “Unfortunately, it's out of our hands,” and the court was also told that the child has settled in well into her new accommodation.

The investigation file is at a very advanced stage, the judge also heard.

Two weeks ago, Judge Mitchell had ordered a fitness to be tried report on the accused.

The defence solicitor told the court on Wednesday that his client was on a waiting list for the Central Mental Hospital, but no report was yet to hand.

The solicitor added that his client would not be making a bail application at this stage.

Judge Mitchell told him to inform his client that the court was asking that medical doctors see him in prison.

He was remanded in custody to appear again at the same court in two weeks for the DPP’s directions and a fitness-to-be-tried report.

The accused, who has an interpreter, spoke up, in English, saying, “I have a question, I have a question.” The judge reminded him that was speaking to an open court. He told him to use Arabic, and the interpreter would speak to his solicitor, who then had a brief discussion with his client.

Judge Mitchell informed him that his case would resume on November 19th via video link and hoped he would be able to speak with his medical team in the meantime.

The defence must give gardaí 48 hours' notice if they intend to move a bail application.

At his first hearing on October 21st, it emerged in evidence from Garda Sergeant Connolly that the man replied: "I have nothing to say" after he was charged.

The case triggered violent scenes in Citywest, Dublin, in the following days, resulting in more than 30 arrests, and gardaí getting injured, and a Garda vehicle was burned out.

Court prosecutions have commenced while a Garda investigation continues to identify others at the scene.

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at drcc.ie/services/helpline/ or visit Rape Crisis Help.