A 28-YEAR-OLD MAN allegedly “forced” a 16-year-old boy to perform oral sex on him in a toilet in a Limerick City premises, two years ago, a court has heard.

The boy was walking to school when he diverted to the bathroom and was forced to perform the sex act, it was alleged before the Central Criminal Court, sitting in Limerick.

The accused man has pleaded “not guilty” to one count of sexual assault, section 4 Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, 1990, at toilets in Limerick City, on 8 November 2024.

A reporting restrictions order, brought by trial judge Mr Justice Sean Gillane, prohibits the identification of the accused and the complainant, as well as the specific premises where the offence is alleged to have occurred.

Senior prosecution counsel, Lorcan Connolly, instructed by Lily Buckley BL and state solicitor, Orla Farrell, said the complainant and the accused were not known to one another at the time of the alleged offence.

Mr Connolly told the court: “The boy was brought by the accused to a cubicle and he was forced onto his knees and put his penis into the boy’s mouth, forcing him to perform oral sex .”

Mr Connolly told the trial jury it will also be alleged that the accused also “ejaculated” into the boy’s mouth.

The prosecuting barrister said the State’s case was that the complainant’s mouth was “penetrated” by the accused’s penis “without consent”.

Mr Connolly said evidence would be heard that, after the alleged sex assault, the boy waited and took a photograph of the accused before continuing onwards to school.

The boy made a disclosure to parties at his school and a garda investigation into the matter began.

Mr Connolly said it will also be alleged that, as part of the garda investigation, the boy was medically assessed at a sexual assault treatment unit (SATU) where his lips were swabbed and found to contain a trace of semen matched to the accused.

Mr Connolly said: “The prosecution alleges a non-consensual sexual act by a 28-year-old male on a 16-year-old-boy. A section 4 rape; that is what the prosecution alleges and that is what the prosecution must prove.”

Mr Connolly said the accused sits before the court “presumed innocent” unless the jury is satisfied otherwise on hearing the evidence presented.

The prosecution barrister said the accused “doesn’t have to prove anything” and that the “onus” is on the prosecution to prove its case “beyond a reasonable doubt”.

The accused is represented by senior counsel Mark Nicholas, instructed by Kenny Keirns BL and Kiely McCarthy Solicitors, Limerick.

The complainant, who was underage at the time of the alleged assault, is represented in court by legal rights counsel Cian Kelly, Limerick Law Centre.

The trial, which is before a jury of six men and six women, may last up to a week, it was heard.