ELEVEN PEOPLE HAVE appeared in court charged with over 200 counts relating to the alleged rape, sexual exploitation, and neglect of children.

The six women and five men were arrested at garda stations in Munster this morning and brought before a court charged with a total of 212 counts.

These include, rape, sexual assault, sexual exploitation, child neglect, and cruelty to a child.

The court, which cannot be identified for legal reasons, was told the Director of Public Prosecutions had directed that all eleven accused persons will face trial on indictment at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin.

The court heard evidence relating to four alleged victims.

The eleven defendants were remanded on strict bail conditions, including that they do not have any contact with the alleged victims.

The defendants were also ordered to surrender their passports, and sign on weekly at different garda stations in Munster.

Each accused must reside at their home address, and notify gardaí of any change of their locations.

The defendants must also notify gardaí of their contact mobile telephone number, and be available to investigating gardai on this number at all times.

Eleven garda witnesses gave evidence of arresting and charging each accused person.

Specific evidence relating to the alleged offences was not disclosed in court.

The presiding judge ordered reporting restrictions, including that the defendants cannot be named, in order to protect the identities of the alleged victims.

The court also ordered reporting restrictions on identifying any locations linked to the alleged offences.

Each of the eleven accused were remanded on bail to appear before the same court again, on 21 November, for mention of when the State’s book of evidence in the case would be finalised.

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