LAST UPDATE | 22 Jun 2018

A MAN IN his 30s has been charged with the alleged rape of a woman in west Dublin earlier this week.

The alleged incident is said to have occurred in a park in Blanchardstown in the early hours of Wednesday morning.

Appearing before Blanchardstown District Court at a sitting this morning, Garda Tara Byrne said she arrested the man at an address in Dublin on Wednesday evening.

He made no reply when he was charged at Blanchardstown Garda Station yesterday, she told the court.

A bail application was made but this was resisted by An Garda Síochána and the prosecution.

Garda Byrne said that the woman – a tourist visiting from the US – alleged the man subjected her to a “prolonged” and “violent” attack.

The court heard that the pair had met earlier that evening and were walking through the park when she alleges he attacked her.

Garda Byrne told the court the woman alleged that he forced her to perform oral sex on him before he forced her into non-consensual vaginal sex. She alleges he then forced her to perform oral sex on him again before he left.

The woman alleges the man told her: “Do what I want or I’ll kill you.” She told gardaí that the man threatened her a number of times, the court heard.

Garda Byrne also told the court that CCTV evidence had shown them together on Tuesday evening, and entering the park. She said the footage showed the woman later leaving the park alone.

Byrne said the woman had significant bruising to her arms and had suffered a significant vaginal laceration.

She told the court gardaí were objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the offence and the potential for a significant sentence if the man is found guilty.

The man’s defence counsel told the court he was willing to submit to any conditions imposed if he was to be granted bail, including surrendering his passport and signing on at a local garda station any number of times.

The judge was satisfied that the seriousness of the case did not warrant granting bail.

The man was remanded in custody to appear before Cloverhill District Court on Thursday next.