Man charged with raping girl (12)

A 71-year-old man, who is accused of fathering a child with a 12-year-old girl, made a brief appearance before Judge David Riordan at Tallow District Court yesterday. During the three-minute hearing, Supt Michael Blake asked that he be remanded on continuing bail for another month. The man is charged that on an unspecified date in July 1997, at a location in the south-east, he raped the then 12-year-old girl. He was arrested several months ago after the girl gave birth and alleged to gardai that she had been raped by the man whom she named as the father. He was remanded on his own bail of £800 to the sitting of Dungarvan Court on February 10th.