A GARDA sergeant appeared in court yesterday accused of sexually assaulting two female colleagues while on duty at a Dublin Garda station last year.
The officer, who is in his 40s, made his first appearance at Dublin District Court, where he faces three counts of sexual assault on dates in March and June 2010.
Judge Bridget Reilly imposed reporting restrictions to prevent the identification of the complainants.
This included an order prohibiting publication of the defendant’s name, place of work and the location where the incidents allegedly occurred.
One complainant has claimed she was sexually assaulted twice, and the other alleges she was sexually assaulted once.
In a summary of the prosecution evidence, Garda Insp James Flood told Judge Reilly that during the first incident the accused had been on duty when “the injured party was leaning over a desk”.
“While she was doing this, it is alleged the accused pressed his pelvic area into her posterior and at the same time placed his hands on her hips and made a pumping motion saying ‘She likes it this way’.”
About 2½ months later, the defendant allegedly sexually assaulted her again in an office in work.
The court heard that: “The accused came up towards her and pressed his left hand to the side of her left breast while saying ‘Wake up’.”
Two days before that, it is claimed he sexually assaulted the other female officer. She had leaned over to place an object in a locker when the defendant allegedly “grabbed the inside of her right upper thigh at the fleshy part, at which she screamed”.
“It is alleged the accused then said ‘I’d say you are some screamer in bed’,” Insp Flood added.
The DPP had directed summary disposal, and after hearing an outline of the evidence Judge Reilly accepted jurisdiction for the case to be dealt with at District Court level.
The defendant stood up during the proceedings.
However, he was not required to speak at the brief hearing yesterday and gave no indication of how he will plead.
Judge Reilly ordered gardaí to provide the defence with disclosure of the prosecution evidence, which includes photographs.
The officer nodded as the judge adjourned his case for four weeks to allow him to consider his plea.