Two men charged with rape at Galway's Ceannt Station to seek High Court bail

Two men accused of raping a woman at Ceannt Station car park in Galway on 1 August are to apply for bail in the High Court this week.

Galway rape accused to challenge bail refusal in High Court

Two men charged with the rape and false imprisonment of a woman at Ceannt Railway Station in Galway are set to bring a bail application before the High Court later this week, the Irish Times reports.

The men, aged 25 and 27, appeared at Galway District Court on Tuesday via video link from prison. They face charges of raping a woman at the station's car park on Eyre Square on 1 August. The older of the two is additionally charged with rape contrary to section 4 of the Criminal Law Rape Amendment Act, according to court documents.

Both men are also charged with falsely imprisoning the alleged victim at the same location on the same date. They cannot be identified for legal reasons.

Bail was refused when they first appeared in court earlier this month. Defence barrister Donal Cronin told Judge Gerard Furlong on Tuesday that the defendants intended to make a bail application in the High Court on Thursday.

Garda Sgt Damien Prendergast informed the court that directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions had not yet been received in the case.

An Arabic interpreter arrived late to Tuesday's hearing. One of the accused indicated on three separate occasions, before the interpreter was present, that he did not understand what was being asked of him.

Judge Furlong remanded both men in custody to appear before the 7 September sitting of Galway District Court, pending the DPP's directions. He noted that if their bail application succeeded, the men would still be required to attend court in person on that date; failing that, they would appear via video link.

Source: Irish Times