Armagh Gaelic football All-Ireland winner Aidan Nugent has been ordered to stand trial in the Crown Court over eight charges of sexual assault.

Appearing in the dock of Armagh Magistrates Court – sitting in Newry – on Tuesday, the 31-year-old confirmed he was aware of the charges against him.

All are alleged to have been committed in the U.S on November 17 last year.

Nugent, from the Cullyhanna Road in Newtownhamilton, faces seven charges of sexual assault and one of sexual assault involving penetration, alleged to have been committed against a single complainant.

It is understood to be the Crown case that the offences were committed in America when the Armagh GAA team travelled to Miami in Florida, to celebrate their All-Ireland win over Galway last July – their first All-Ireland title in 22 years.

Nugent’s defence solicitor Patrick Higgins has emphasised that during formal police interviews, the defendant claimed that “any sexual activity was consensual”.

Mr Higgins has also revealed that when Nugent was charged with the offences, the All-Ireland winner replied: “I deny the allegations – it was consensual.”

During Tuesday’s brief preliminary enquiry in court, a prosecuting lawyer submitted there is a prima facie case against Nugent.

Mr Higgins conceded the point but declared that Nugent “strenuously denies the allegations”.

The court clerk told Nugent he had the right to comment on the charges or to call evidence on his own behalf, but he declined.

Returning the case to Newry Crown Court, District Judge Anne Marshall freed Nugent on £500 bail and ordered him to appear for his arraignment on October 2.

Applying for legal aid to be extended to allow a senior barrister to be instructed, Mr Higgins told the judge that was on the basis that one of the charges carried a potential sentence of life imprisonment.

He also contended that “all of the people involved in this are in the public eye” and that if Nugent is convicted, there is not only a risk to his reputation “but also a risk to his liberty and livelihood”.

Judge Marshall told the solicitor she would rule on his application later on Tuesday.