A Donegal man has been sent forward to the Central Criminal Court having been charged with a catalogue of offences against a woman.
The man, who is in his 40s, cannot be named at this stage of proceedings due to the nature of the charges, in order to protect the anonymity of the alleged injured party.
He appeared via video link at Letterkenny District Court from Midlands Prison where he is on remand on these charges.
The man will go before judge and jury on charges including coercive control, aggravated sexual assault and section 4 rape.
Garda Pauline Doherty gave evidence of serving a book of evidence on the man’s solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian, at Letterkenny courthouse.
Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has consented to the accused being sent forward to the Central Criminal Court.
Judge Emile Daly administered the alibi warning and made a section 56 order relating to interviews.
Legal aid was granted to Mr Dorrian, who sought two legal counsel “given the complexity of the matter”. This was granted.
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The man faces a charge that he coercively controlled the woman between dates in 2025 and 2026.
He has been charged with two counts of committing an aggravated sexual assault, contrary to section 3 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990. One charge relates to a date in 2025 and the other to a date in 2026.
He has been further charged with an offence under section 4 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990. A Section 4 rape charge relates to alleged non-consensual oral or anal penetration, or vaginal penetration by an object.
He is also charged that he intentionally or recklessly caused the woman to believe on reasonable grounds that she was likely to be immediately subjected to strangulation. The charge is contrary to Section 3A(1)(b) and 3(3) of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act 1997 (as inserted by Section 21 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023).
The man is charged that, on a date in 2025, he did commit arson in that he damaged by fire, clothing belonging to the woman, intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged and intending by the said damage to endanger the life of another or being reckless as to whether the life of another would be thereby endangered. The charge is contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Damage Act, 1991.
The man is charged with sexually assaulting the woman on a date in 2025. The charge is contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990, as amended by Section 37 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001.
He is also charged with three counts of assaulting the woman and causing her harm, contrary to Section 3 (1) and 3(2) of the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act 1997 (as amended by Section 20 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2023).
He also faces two further criminal damage charges relating to dates in 2025 and 2026
The defendant has been charged with false imprisonment, contrary to section 15 of the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997.
He also faces two charges of making threats to kill and a charge of making a threat to damage property.
The man has also been charged with assaulting the woman and with breaching a safety order. He was previously charged with another assault causing harm.