A MAN HAS appeared in court charged with raping a woman 35 times in Co Donegal.

The accused, who is now aged in his 50s, appeared at Letterkenny District Court charged with the litany of alleged sexual offences.

He is charged that on dates in the 1980s, at various locations in Donegal, he raped the woman.

The accused cannot be named at this stage to protect the identity of the alleged victim.

The charges are all Contrary to Section 48 of the Offences Against the Person Act, 1861 and Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) Act, 1981.

Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had consented for the accused to go forward for trial at the next sitting of the Circuit Criminal Court.

Judge Eiteain Cunningham was told that Gardaí had no objection to bail.

However, a range of bail conditions were imposed on the accused man including that he stay at a named address, have no contact whatsoever with the alleged injured party and be of good behaviour.

He was also ordered not to leave the jurisdiction before informing Detective Garda Eimear Hassett.

The man’s solicitor, Patsy Gallagher, said he was seeking a number of medical certs on behalf of his client.

The case was adjourned to 16 June for the service of a book of evidence.