Man accused of sex assault on teen who was shopping with mother

A man has been accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl by touching her while she was out shopping with her mother in central Dublin.

Mohamed Eldars (28) allegedly put his hand between the girl’s legs from behind as she was walking through a busy shopping centre.

He is facing trial after a judge ruled the allegation was too serious to be dealt with at the Dublin District Court.

Judge Bryan Smyth adjourned the case for further directions of the DPP.

Mr Eldars, with an address at Clanbrassil Street Upper, Dublin 8, is charged with sexually assaulting the teenager on March 1 last year.

Garda Shane O’Sullivan told Judge Smyth the girl reported that she was shopping with her mother in Dublin city centre when the accused walked behind her and “placed his hand between her legs and on her leg”.

It was “more than just a brushing off”, and his hand had gone further than that, she had told gardaí. She had been facing forward and he walked up behind her, the garda said.

It was alleged the accused’s hand went “straight to her vagina area and straight back out” and there was no allegation that he placed fingers into this area or that he pitched or grabbed her.

Mr Eldars was later detained and made “certain admissions”, telling gardaí it was “an accident and his hand just brushed off her”, Garda O’Sullivan said.

The DPP was directing summary disposal of the case at district court level subject to the issue of jurisdiction being considered, the judge was told.

Judge Smyth said he was refusing jurisdiction, based on the outline of the prosecution evidence that he had heard.

He said the consent of the DPP was required before the accused could be returned for trial to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Defence solicitor Andrew Broderick said there was consent to an adjournment to a date in April.

Mr Eldars was not required to address the court and was remanded on continuing bail.

Irish Independent