A 20-YEAR-OLD student has been charged with multiple counts of rape and sexual assault of another male in Dublin four years ago.

The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged 16 and a juvenile at the time of the sexual abuse, which is alleged to have occurred over a three-month period in 2021.

He was arrested today and charged with six counts of rape and eight counts of sexual assault at a specific address in south Co Dublin.

He appeared before Judge John Brennan at a late sitting of Dublin District Court.

Detective Garda Liam Conway said the young man replied “No” when each charge was put to him.

The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has directed that the man would face “trial on indictment”. That means, due to the nature of some of the charges, he will be tried in the Central Criminal Court.

Detective Garda Conway confirmed that the accused was a minor when the alleged offences occurred and that there was no objection to bail provided he obeyed a series of conditions.

Judge Brennan ordered him to provide gardaí with a contact phone number, remain contactable at all times, notify them of any address change, sign on at a north Dublin Garda station, and surrender his passport.

Furthermore, he told the man that it was as conditions of bail that he must not communicate with the complainant, directly or indirectly, including by social media.

Defence counsel Kevin McCrave consulted with the accused, who did not address the court, before telling the judge that his client consented to those terms.

Judge Brennan warned there would be consequences for breaching them and the barrister stressed that he would explain that to his client, who has yet indicate a plea.

Bail was set at €750 and he was ordered to appear at the Children’s Court in September to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court.

Legal aid was granted after the court heard the accused was a student, on social welfare and unemployed.