A 26-year-old man has appeared in court charged in connection with the sexual assault of a ten-year-old girl in Dublin in the early hours of yesterday morning.
The girl was in the care of Tusla.
She reported that she had been sexually assaulted and gardaí commenced a criminal investigation.
The man was arrested yesterday morning for questioning and charged in the early hours of this morning.
He was brought before Blanchardstown District Court this morning, where Detective Sergeant Sinéad Connolly, from Clondalkin Garda Station, gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution.
She told the court the accused, who cannot be named, was arrested at 3.58am in Clondalkin Garda Station and when charged, he replied: "I have nothing to say."
He is accused of sexually assaulting the girl yesterday at Garter Lane, Saggart in Co Dublin, contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, as amended by Section 37 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001.
There was no application for bail but the court was told there will be a bail application in Cloverhill District Court tomorrow.
The accused was granted free legal aid after the court heard he was not working and a statement of means would be handed in.
His defence solicitor asked that he be produced in person in court and that an Arabic interpreter be provided.
Judge John Brennan remanded the accused in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court tomorrow morning when he is due to make an application for bail.
Gardaí in Clondalkin have issued an appeal for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.
They said they would like to speak to anyone who was in the City West Drive, Garter Lane, City West Luas stop, or Saggart Luas stop areas between 11pm on Sunday and 1.30am on Monday.
