Man charged with rape of wife appears before Kildare court  

A MAN charged with the rape of his wife in the marital bed will be heading for trial in the Central Criminal Courts as soon as a book of evidence is ready.

The man – who cannot be named due to reporting restrictions – appeared recently in Naas District Court for a formal arraignment following his arrest the previous day, where he was charged under one count of Section 2 Act, and one of Section 48 Offences Against the Person Act.

Investigating officer Garda Mick O’Connell told the court that the injured party made a statement to gardaí on 7 July, 2022 alleging the rape occurred “in the marital bed” at an address in Co Kildare on a date/or dates between 1 April and 30 April, 2021.

Bail granted

Judge Desmond Zaidan asked Garda O’Connell for some detail, and he told the court: “In her statement she said she had been in bed alone, facing out, in my underwear, when (he) came up”.

“When she awoke she had pains on her chest, her breasts had been…,” he trailed off.

“She was raped while asleep?” suggested the judge, and Garda O’Connell said: “Yes”.

Judge Zaidan accepted defending barrister Donncha Craddock’s application to continue bail under the existing conditions.

Conditions include a bond of €1,000, sign on at a named Midlands Garda station, and have no contact with witnesses.

Sergeant Mary Meade confirmed that this case was heading for the Central Criminal Court when the book of evidence is formally handed over to the defence.

“We will have it in six weeks,” she said, and so the judge remanded the man on continuing bail until 19 May.