A Dublin man has told a jury in the Central Criminal Court he signed a statement admitting attempted rape only because of threats by gardai. The 20-year-old man said a detective pulled his hair and threatened to have two other gardai assault him if he did not co-operate.
The defendant has pleaded not guilty to the attempted rape and sexual assault of a 30-yearold woman in the grounds of a Ballymun school early on January 15th, 1996.
He told his counsel, Mr Erwan Mill Arden SC, he had not been responsible for attacking the woman. He was asleep in bed when gardai came to arrest him and bring him to Ballymun Garda station on February 29th, 1996.
He claimed one detective said what had happened to the woman and wrote it down as if it was a confession to the offence. He said he signed the statement because of threats from the officers in the interview room.
In reply to Mr Denis Vaughan Buckley SC, the defendant agreed he had not told his parents of the alleged threats and mistreatment when they visited him in the station.
Earlier, the detectives denied mistreating or assaulting the defendant. The statement was made voluntarily, they said.
The trial, before Mr Justice Carney and a jury, continues.