Masseur fails to halt trial for sexual abuse

A man who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman while giving her a massage in a therapy clinic has failed to stop his trial.

The man claimed he could not get a fair trial because the woman refused to identify the perpetrators of two prior alleged sexual assaults against her.

The incident allegedly occurred in August 2011. She complained to gardaí who, during their investigation, said the man had confirmed to them that he had offered her money not to report the matter.

He was charged and his lawyers sought disclosure of any complaints made by the woman against others. He denied the charges.

Before his trial was due to begin last November, the defence received material disclosing the woman had alleged two prior incidents of sexual assault when she was a child.

The defendant brought a High Court application seeking to stop the trial, arguing her credibility was central to the prosecution and that her refusal to name the other alleged perpetrators meant he had been deprived of the opportunity to cross-examine her. The DPP opposed the application and said there was no failure to disclose material. Mr Justice Seamus Noonan said the man had not established any real risk of an unfair trial.