Prosecution of teenager accused of 'humping' girl, 15, in east Clare to be 'expedited'

The case of teenager who is accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in east Clare is to be expedited because of the age of those involved.

The now 17-year-old is facing a sexual assault charge concerning an allegation that as a 14-year-old he “humped” a 15 -year-old girl from behind in front of a group of teenage boys.

At a sitting of the Children's Court in Ennis before Easter, State solicitor for Clare, Aisling Casey outlined the State case against the teenaged accused who is from Limerick.

The alleged injured party is a teenage girl from east Clare. She is now aged 17 and will be 18 this summer.

The accused was accompanied to court by his mother.

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In May 2022, at a location in east Clare, Ms Casey said that the alleged injured party alleged that her phone was taken, along with a Revolut card and €20.

Ms Casey said that the girl walked over to a group of males to ask for her phone and spoke to another juvenile, who was with the accused, and he gave back the phone but there was no money or card in it. 

Ms Casey there is no suggestion that the accused  took the card or the money.

Ms Casey said that the accused then came from behind “and started touching her bum and he slapped her bum and grabbed it and she turned around and told him to stop”.

Ms Casey said that the accused then allegedly grabbed the girl by the waist and she said in a garda specialist interview that “he humped me and I turned around and I told him to stop and he wouldn’t stop”.

Ms Casey said that during a garda interview, when the teenage girl was asked what she meant by humping, she said “he grabbed my hips and thrust his hips into my bum”.

Ms Casey said that the accused was not known to the alleged injured party and he was also identified by footage provided to An Garda Siochana.

Ms Casey said that the alleged sexual assault is touching outside the clothing and that the DPP direction is for summary disposal in the district court. 

Judge Alec Gabbett agreed with the recommendation.

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Solicitor, Daragh Hassett, for the accused, said that he has been trying to elicit his client’s instructions, and the planned adjournment to a date for mention in early May will allow him more time to receive instructions.

Mr Hassett said: “It is a difficult case. I am very conscious that he is getting older.”

After hearing of Mr Hassett’s difficulties in getting instructions from the teenager, Judge Alec Gabbett told the accused: “You are not grasping the nettle here and you have to speak and listen to your solicitor.”

Ms Casey said that Sarah Jane Comerford BL has been instructed by her in the case as the case will require a “ground rules” hearing as it involves minors.

Ms Casey said that as the case involves minors, it needs to be expedited and said that she only became involved in the case in December.

Judge Gabbett adjourned the case to May 6 for mention with the intention to have a hearing on July 1.