Sex assault accused had cable ties in back of van

GARDAÍ found duct tape, cable ties and work tools in the back of a van registered to a man accused of carrying out random attacks on women.

Slawomir Gierlowski (33), of Galtymore Road, Drimnagh, Dublin, denies attacking three women on dates in 2011, 2015 and 2016 at locations around Clondalkin, Co Dublin.

In the May 2016 incident, a man armed with a knife attacked a woman as she was walking to a Luas stop.

The woman told the court last week that she thought the man was going to slit her throat and she grabbed the blade to stop that happening.

At Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday, Garda Sergeant Katherina Joyce told the jury that on May 20, 2016, she was made aware of a VW Crafter van believed to be connected to this incident. The jury heard the registered owner was Mr Gierlowski.

Sgt Joyce said she obtained a warrant at Blanchardstown District Court to search Mr Gierlowski’s address on Galtymore Road.

Gda Ronan O’Malley said he was part of the Garda team that searched Mr Gierlowski’s home on June 1, 2016. He said he searched an upstairs master bedroom and found a blue- green jacket which he seized as evidence.

He agreed there was another man living in the house and he was using a downstairs room as a bedroom.

Det Gda Brian O’Shaughnessy told Orla Crowe SC, defending, that he searched this room but he didn’t seize anything of evidential value.

He said he seized the VW Crafter van with registration number 08-D-20729 from the front of the house. Gda David Harte said he carried out a search later that same day.

He seized a roll of grey duct tape and an open packet of black cable ties.

The jury was shown photographs taken by gardaí of the van, showing it fitted out with a shelving unit. The jury heard the van also contained a hi-vis jacket, a ladder, a spirit level, drills and extension leads.

Mr Gierlowski denies falsely imprisoning and assaulting the woman on May 16, 2016. He also denies having a hunting knife with intent to intimidate on the same occasion.

He also denies the false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault of a second woman on September 3, 2015. Finally, he denies the false imprisonment, sexual assault and assault of a third woman on September 11, 2011.

The trial continues.