Rpae trial of Dublin man opens
The trial of a Dublin man accused of sexually abusing a young girl in the city 20 years ago has opened at the Central Criminal Court.
The 58-year-old accused has pleaded not guilty to three counts of raping and eight counts of sexually assaulting the girl while she was aged between six and 11 years old, on dates between September 1983 to February 1989.
Prosecuting counsel, Ms Mary Ellen Ring SC (with Mr Bernard Condon BL), told the jury in opening the trial that that the accused man was a neighbour of the alleged victim and their families were known to each other.
Ms Ring said the jury would hear evidence from the alleged victim that she visited the accused at his home where he was teaching her to play the guitar and that all but one of the incidents of sexual assault occurred there.
She said it was alleged the first count of rape took place when the girl was seven, shortly after making her first Holy Communion.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Daniel Herbert and a jury of five men and seven women.
