Four men, including one aged 77, appeared in Kilkenny District Court yesterday on sexual charges involving a mentally-handicapped woman. The men were remanded in custody with consent to bail and will appear again on October 5th.
Two face charges which include rape, anal and oral rape and sexual intercourse with the woman, who is now in her early 30s. The men, who cannot be named for legal reasons, are from neighbouring towns. One man aged 50 faces a charge of having had sexual intercourse with the woman in the grounds of a convent in 1997. A 52-year-old faces 17 charges, including rape, sexual intercourse, anal and oral rape and false imprisonment; 18 charges against a 60-year-old include rape, anal rape, sexual intercourse and false imprisonment. The 77-year-old faces two charges of having or attempting to have sexual intercourse with the woman in a lane.