A jury at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been told a middle-aged married man sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl, a neighbour, in a bed when his wife was away.
The man, in his 50s, and the father of two young children, is pleading not guilty to two charges of sexually assaulting the girl in his home on the night of October 26th-27th, 1996, between 10 p.m. and 8 a.m.
Ms Aileen Donnelly, prosecuting, said on the night the offences took place the alleged victim was staying at the defendant's home to be with his daughter as they were friends.
During the day the defendant drove his tractor to the alleged victim's house to inquire whether she and a number of other children, including her sister, were to stay overnight at his house. His wife was away.
Ms Donnelly said the alleged victim, who apparently was very upset, packed her bags along with the other children and he drove them to his house. It was late when they arrived.
The other children went straight to bed and the defendant asked the alleged victim to stay up late and watch television on the couch with him. He then asked her to change into her pyjamas. She went to collect the pyjamas and he grabbed them from her and threw them on the ground and continued to watch television.
He then told her he would "put her pyjamas on her" and while undressing rubbed her private parts.
He asked her if she wanted to go to his bed and she said: "No. No. No." He then took her downstairs to a bedroom and lay her on the bed where the alleged sexual assault continued. He then carried her back to her sister's bedroom. The trial continues before Judge Frank O'Donnell.