Courts / Dublin / Report
Decision taken not to re-interview children on welfare grounds, garda tells creche trial
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing, Garda Sergeant Diarmuid O'Donovan explained that the four children who had alleged sexual assault by a 29‑year‑old child‑care worker were not re‑interviewed after initial interviews conducted within five weeks of the allegations being reported on 12 December 2016. The children, aged six to eight at the time of the first interviews in January 2017, were interviewed by child‑specialist interviewers and their recordings were used as evidence. O'Donovan said the decision not to re‑interview was taken on welfare grounds, citing the traumatic nature of the process for the children and their families. He noted that while the investigation team considered re‑interviews, the final decision was that it would not be in the children's best interest, and that efforts were made to corroborate the complaints through other means. The unnamed 29-year-old pleaded not guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Decision taken not to re-interview children on welfare grounds, garda tells creche trial. Charges or matters: 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls at a Leinster crèche on dates between February 2015 and December 2016, when they were aged between five and eight years old. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- February 2015 Adjournment
- December 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 12, 2016 Hearing Or Sentence
- January 2017 Incident
- March 28, 2017 Other
- August 16 Other
- 2020-03-11 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: 23 counts of sexually assaulting four girls at a Leinster crèche on dates between February 2015 and December 2016, when they were aged between five and eight years old (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
Sexual Offences Stage Trial Violent Crime
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