A 24-year-old international sportsman, who is charged with the rape of a Galway teenager, was further remanded in custody at Galway District Court yesterday.
The man, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is charged with the unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl aged under 15 years, in Salthill on February 3rd. He has been in custody since the date of the alleged offence.
He is also charged with assaulting a garda while attending a court hearing.
At yesterday's hearing Mr William Kennedy SC explained that the accused had been mistakenly returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court, instead of to the Circuit Criminal Court, when he appeared before Galway District Court on July 3rd.
The Central Criminal Court had quashed the order returning him for trial later that month, Mr Kennedy said. He had then applied to Judge Michael Connellan at yesterday's District Court to have the accused returned for trial to the Circuit Criminal Court.
Mr Gearoid Geraghty, defending, argued that if the Central Criminal Court had quashed the order, then that was the end of the matter and there could be no charges before the District Court.
Mr Kennedy said it was the DPP's intention to have the rape charge brought back before the District Court and he wanted the court to recognise this fact.
Judge Michael Connellan said he had not dealt with the case before, and it would be appropriate to let Judge John Garavan deal with it.
He then adjourned Mr Kennedy's application to Galway District Court on September 11th.