*A hockey stick was used to beat the woman.
A 56-year old Co Clare man appeared in court on Wednesday charged with the rape and multiple sexual assaults of his adult niece over a five day period at his home in Clare earlier this year.
At Ennis District Court, the man appeared charged with the rape of the mother of three on February 6th last at his home.
The man – who turned 56 this week – is also charged with 10 sexual assaults of the woman or two each day from February 2nd to February 6th at the same address.
Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution of the man prior to court today, Det Garda Niamh O’Malley said that the man made no reply when charged.
Solicitor, John Casey for the accused said that there would be no application for bail and bail has been already refused in the District Court and High Court on a previous assault charge.
Already, the man is accused of assaulting his adult niece with a hockey stick and a radiator on January 28th-January 29th at his home.
At Ennis District Court previously, Det Garda O’Malley alleged that in the sitting room of a home, the man on January 28th-January 29th last “carried out a very bad assault” on the mother of three.
Det O’Malley said that during the course of the assault, the man hit the alleged victim knocking out her front tooth and hit her with a hockey stick to both legs multiple times.
Det O’Malley said that it will be also alleged that the man kicked the woman and hit her with an electric radiator twice.
Det O’Malley said that the woman “lost consciousness and woke up under a couch and pleaded with the defendant to stop putting pressure on it and she managed to slide out”.
Det O’Malley told the court that the woman remains very shaken by the alleged assault and has severe bruising and swelling to her body, face and lacerations to her lower leg and ear.
Det O’Malley said that the woman was examined at the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit.
The woman was in court for that court bail hearing.
The man has been on remand in custody since February 16th when he was first charged with the alleged assault offence.
Sgt Aiden Lonergan told the court today that the case will now proceed to the Central Criminal Court.
Judge Mary Larkin remanded the man in custody to appear in court for June 22nd to Ennis District Court for the serving of a Book of Evidence.
