A 47-year-old Co Clare man has appeared in court concerning the alleged sexual assault and false imprisonment of his ex-wife in charges over a two year and three-month period.
As part of the prosecution against the man involving 22 separate charges, the man is also facing a charge of coercive control against the woman.
It is the first such coercive control charge under the Domestic Violence Act to come before the criminal courts in Clare where the man is accused of knowingly and persistently engaging in behaviour that was controlling or coercive and which had a serious effect on the woman who was or is his spouse between January 1st, 2019 to May 15th, 2019.
Coercive control
In total, the man appeared at Kilrush District Court sitting in Ennis to face 12 counts of sexual assault, six counts of false imprisonment, two counts of assault causing harm against the woman, one count of criminal damage and the coercive control charge.
Giving evidence of arrest, charge and caution, Detective Garda Cathy Burke told the court that the man was arrested before court at 8.20am and brought to Ennis Garda Station where he was charged.
Sergeant Aiden Lonergan stated that the case is to proceed by indictment to the circuit court and a Book of Evidence will be required.
The first alleged sexual assault against the woman is alleged to have occurred on October 15th, 2018 with the final sex assault charge in February 2020. The alleged sexual assaults took place at two separate addresses.
Legal aid was granted for the man and conditional bail was not opposed by gardaí for the accused. Judge Mary Larkin remanded the man on conditional bail to re-appear before court on November 16th.
Passport
Judge Larkin directed that the man surrender his passport and that the accused have no contact with any witnesses or the alleged injured party other than for the purpose of arranging access to a child, she also directed the man to sign on twice weekly at his local Garda station.
Judge Larkin imposed reporting restrictions on the identity of the accused and alleged injured party due to the nature of the case.
