Man accused of raping colleague told to avoid her at work as court grants bail

A MAN ACCUSED of raping a female colleague has been ordered to have no contact with her outside work and as little as possible during office hours.

The accused, in his 30s and not named for legal reasons, appeared before Judge Derek Cooney at Dublin District Court on Friday.

Gardaí had received instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to charge him with a single count of rape at an apartment in the city’s north side on a date last year.

Garda Kylie Byrne told Judge Cooney the accused “made no reply” when the charge was put to him. The DPP has directed trial and indictment in the Central Criminal Court.

An adjournment was required to complete a book of evidence.

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There was no objection to bail set at €5,000 with conditions, which the judge granted at the garda’s request.

He told the man, who has yet to enter a plea, to sign on two days a week at his local garda station, and to stay away from the injured party after working hours.

The court heard that the pair work together in the same building.

The judge told him to avoid contact at work, if possible, and that if he meets her there or in the canteen, “You should walk away”.

Furthermore, he must have no contact with any witnesses in the case, directly or indirectly, including by phone messages or any electronic means. The judge also told him to surrender his passport, not apply for new travel documents, and to notify of any change of address or phone number.

He was told he must appear again in January to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial.

The accused, a foreign national who listened to the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, was also cautioned to contact a solicitor before the next hearing. He must inform the DPP in advance if he intends to plead guilty and wishes to be sent forward for sentencing.