It is alleged the woman was assaulted at Ceannt Station in Galway city centre. Google Street View
Courts
The duo was remanded in custody to appear at Galway District Court again via video link on 9 November.
ONE OF THE two men accused of rape, sexual assault and false imprisonment of a woman in Galway city in August has claimed he was attacked in prison by fellow inmates.
Both men, aged 25 and 27, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the alleged victim, appeared at an in-camera sitting of Galway District Court on Monday via video link.
The younger man, who had a bruised right eye, through an Arabic interpreter told Judge John King that he had been assaulted while in custody.
“Someone hit him,” the interpreter said. “Prisoners attacked him in prison.”
“Nobody is protecting me,” the interpreter relayed to the court.
The defendant, who denies the charges against him, said that if he must stay in prison for another four weeks, for the preparation of a book of evidence, he requested a transfer to another section of the prison for his own safety.
Judge King said he could not sanction transfers.
The younger man faces two counts of sexual assault, one count of rape, and one count of false imprisonment of a woman at Ceannt Station, Galway city on 1 August 2026.
The older man is charged with one count of sexual assault at Victoria Place, near Ceannt Station in Galway City on 1 August 2026, and two counts of rape and false imprisonment of the same woman at Ceannt Station on the same date.
The matter was before the latest sitting of Galway District Court to allow the accused to enter a signed guilty plea or request a book of evidence.
Defence barrister Donal Cronin indicated that a book of evidence would be required in both cases.
Garda Sergeant Damien Prendergast requested a four-week adjournment to allow time for the preparation of both books of evidence.
Sgt Prendergast said it “will be a very intensive file” that required time to prepare.
The State can only adjourn cases for two weeks unless there is consent from the accused.
The younger man initially did not consent to a four-week adjournment.
He stated: “Four weeks is too much – I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The older man, again through an interpreter, said: “I don’t know why the delay – is something wrong?”
When Judge King explained that it takes time to prepare books of evidence, both men indicated their consent to a longer adjournment of four weeks.
The duo was remanded in custody to appear at Galway District Court again via video link on 9 November.