Pair to face sentencing in September over sexual assault of schoolgirl in Galway

Galway Bay fm newsroom – Two 19-year-old students who have pleaded guilty respectively to the rape and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl in the city in 2012 are to face sentencing in September. They were both granted bail today at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Galway. The first youth, who is a Leaving Cert student in another part of the country, pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Galway yesterday, to the statutory rape of the then 15-year-old schoolgirl in an apartment in Galway city on August 1, 2012. The youth was initially charged with raping the girl, but pleaded guilty instead before his trial was due to begin, to the defilement, or statutory rape of the then underage girl. His friend, who is 19 also and a student in another city, pleaded guilty to the sexual assault of the girl during the same incident. The matter was adjourned to today's court sitting to fix a date for sentence. In court today, John Jordan SC prosecuting, applied to have both accused remanded in custody to await sentence in September. Det. Sgt. Paudie O'Shea strenuously objected to an application made by counsel for both accused to remand them on continuing bail pending sentence. Det. O'Shea said he genuinely feared both accused would flee the jurisdiction if granted bail. Observing both accused had obeyed the conditions of their bail for the last year, Mr Justice Barry White remanded them on continuing bail to appear before the court again on September 10 next for sentence. He placed both of them on the Sex Offenders Register and directed probation reports be prepared prior to sentence.