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An officer with the Irish Defence Forces who is accused of sexual and physical assault will indicate next month if he requires a trial in relation to any of the charges against him.
The officer, who cannot be named by order of a military court, appeared at a brief hearing on Monday in which a new legal team was appointed to him. His previous barrister had indicated that he had a conflict of interest and therefore could no longer represent the accused officer.
He will now be represented by Kevin Roche BL instructed by Partners at Law solicitors in Dun Laoghaire.
Presiding judge Col Michael Campion extended the accused man’s legal aid certificate to allow him to add a senior counsel to his legal team. Mr Roche said he has not yet had a chance to look at the papers relating to the case and asked for a one-month adjournment to allow him to advise his new client and take instructions.
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Col Campion adjourned the matter until June 7th and said the accused will be required on that date to say whether a board will be required to try any or all of the charges.
The officer, who faces allegations from two serving female Defence Forces members of a lower military rank, is also facing charges of indiscipline and behaving in a disorderly manner due to being under the influence of an intoxicant.
The offences are alleged to have taken place at McKee Barracks in Dublin, in June, 2020.