Teen charged with alleged rape of stepmother
Naas Courthouse
A TEENAGER who allegedly raped his stepmother in their home two days prior to his court appearance was remanded into custody for a week after the State established that there was a bed available at the youth offenders facility in Oberstown, Co Dublin.
It is alleged that the youth committed the offences at the address in the county on the night of 2 September and was arrested shortly after midnight after neighbours notified the authorities.
He was charged in a garda station in the county and made no reply to the formal charge on two counts contrary to Criminal Law (Rape) Act.
The arresting garda told Naas District Court that because the alleged offence was so new, no directions were yet available from the DPP, and that the defendant had made no application for bail.
Defending solicitor Dave Powderley told the court that: “the parents are estranged because of this case” but gave no further detail on this point.
He confirmed an appropriate adult – a peace commissioner – attended the garda station where his client was held in locus parentis (in the place of parents).
Mr Powderley also confirmed the availability in Oberstown, and elocuted his client’s wish to stay in custody.
Judge Desmond Zaidan asked the investigating garda for a brief outline of the facts.
“The injured party was put on her knees on the ground, she was digitally penetrated in the vagina, and he penetrated her anus with his penis,” he said.
Mr Powderley informed the court of the number of 999 calls made on the night, his client was one of those, and this was accepted by the state.
He added his young client had a previous history of psychiatric episodes and asked the court for an “assessment on his fitness to plea, and his fitness to stand trial”.
“Do you want me to recommend an assessment or order it?” asked the judge.
“Order it,” said Mr Powderley, to which Jude Zaidan acceded.
He remanded the teen into custody until 11 September but warned Mr Powderley that this period of detention could well be extended as “in my experience a psychiatric or psychological report can take up to 21 days”.
