A JURY has been sworn in to hear the trial of a man accused of sexually assaulting a woman when they were both students in Limerick.
The jury was told by prosecution barrister John O’Sullivan that they would hear evidence that the alleged sex assault occurred in the bedroom of a house in Limerick.
It is alleged that the man sexually assaulted the woman in the early hours of February 15, 2020.
The accused and alleged victim were both attending a third-level educational institution at the time, Limerick Circuit Criminal Court heard.
Mr O’Sullivan told the court that it was intended that the alleged victim would give evidence on Tuesday.
The prosecution barrister said that the woman was aged 20 and the man was aged 21 at the time of the alleged assault.
Trial judge Colin Daly told the jury that the case involved reporting restrictions and explained that this meant that none of the parties involved in the case could be identified unless the judge lifted the restrictions.
“Anonymity is a fundamental principle” in cases of alleged sexual assault, the judge said.
“The primary objective of this is to protect the anonymity of the alleged victim.”
The jury of eight women and four men was told that the trial was expected to last four days.
The judge remanded the accused on continuing bail and adjourned the trial to begin in earnest on Tuesday.
