TV star denies groping man in city club
A PROMINENT entertainer has pleaded not guilty to sexually assaulting a young man at a Dublin venue.
The accused cannot be named for legal reasons as a result of a gag order made by a judge in August.
A ruling will be made next month as to whether or not it will be lifted to allow the media to name the individual.
When the case resumed at Dublin District Court yesterday, Judge John Hughes heard the Director of Public Prosecutions felt it was not necessary to prohibit identification of the accused, to prevent the complainant being named.
Diarmuid Connolly from the DPP added: “There is no direct nexus between the complainant and the accused. It is not necessary that order remains in place”.
A total of eight national news media organisations made a joint application asking the court to set aside a reporting restriction order banning the publication of the celebrity’s name.
Counsel Shane English was instructed by RTE, Independent News and Media, the Irish Daily Star, The Irish Times, Irish Daily Mail, Irish Examiner, Irish Sun and the Sunday Times.
His clients, as a matter of law, were entitled to publish the accused’s name and he did not see how it was likely the complainant could be identified as a result, he argued.
He believed the order made on August 21, “ought properly to be set aside”.
Defence solicitor Michael Staines said his client had not sought the order for anonymity. He added however, he was concerned there was a risk naming his client could identify the alleged victim.
Mr Staines added the celeb was pleading not guilty, meaning the case will proceed to trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
The accused was ordered to appear again on November 27 to be served with a book of evidence and to be sent forward for trial.
Judge Hughes will also deliver his ruling on the media application on that date.