2017-05-29 ยท Dublin
Former basketball coach bids to block trial for alleged indecent assault
A former basketball coach has appealed against the decision to proceed with his trial for alleged indecent assault on a male more than 40 years ago. The appellant, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, is facing four charges of indecent assault, which are alleged to have occurred outside Dublin during the early 1970s. The matter is currently in the appeal stage. The appellant claims that the passage of time has rendered several potential witnesses unavailable, as they are no longer living in Ireland or have died. He also argues that the building where the alleged assaults occurred has been demolished, preventing him from obtaining an engineer's inspection to corroborate the complainant's allegations. Additionally, the appellant asserts that his health issues and memory loss would hinder his ability to mount an effective defense. Permission to bring the appeal was granted by Mr Justice Seamus Noonan on an ex-parte basis, and the matter has been returned for a hearing in July. A stay has been placed on the prosecution until the appeal is resolved.