A 58-year-old north Cork man made a brief appearance at Midleton District Court yesterday charged with sexual assault on a four-year-old girl. The man, dressed in grey jacket and checked shirt, sat impassively in the crowded courtroom but did not speak during the one-minute court appearance.
He was charged that on October 5th, 1997, in a rural area of north Cork, he sexually assaulted a child contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Amendment Act.
His solicitor, Mr Jimmy Lucey, told Judge John Clifford that he would be making an application about the man's fitness to plead and would be calling on two psychiatrists to give reports.
He also applied for free legal aid which was granted when he told the judge that the defendant had no money.
Judge Clifford remanded the accused in custody to appear before Mallow District Court next Tuesday, He also imposed reporting restrictions on the use of the accused man's name and address, to protect his alleged victim.