A MAN, aged 32, was remanded in custody on Tuesday evening, after he was charged with the sexual assault of a 38-year-old woman and with physically assaulting her daughter, at their home in Ballineen.
The alleged incidents took place in the early hours of last Sunday morning.
The Irish national, who can’t be named for legal reasons, is charged with a total of six offences and was brought before a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court on Tuesday afternoon, where he was charged with one count of assault causing harm to the woman and one count of assault, causing harm, to her 13-year-old daughter on Sunday, January 12th.
The man was also charged with two counts of false imprisonment of both the woman and her daughter, and with sexual assault of the woman, and burglary with intent to commit an indictable offence.
The man was also accused of a seventh offence in relation to a separate incident in Kerry.
He is charged with driving off without making a payment for fuel at Sheehans’ Garage, Muckross Road, Killarney, also on January 12th.
Det Garda Paul Cullen of the West Cork Protective Services Unit gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution and told the court that when he arrested the accused at 1.35pm and charged him at 2.58pm, he made no reply to any of the charges.
Defence solicitor Plunkett Taffe said his client was not making a bail application at this point, but would be making a bail application at his next court appearance.
Court presenter Sgt Tom Mulcahy said that gardaí were seeking a remand to Bandon District Court and Judge John King granted the application and remanded the accused in custody to appear again at Bandon court on Monday January 20th for DPP directions.
He also granted the accused free legal aid and assigned Mr Taaffe to represent him after Mr Taaffe said that his client was working in a factory but was in receipt of the minimum wage per hour, and would have difficulty funding his own defence.
