A 76-YEAR-OLD man who has been charged in connection with 79 sexual offences has been ordered to stand trial next June. 

The man, who cannot be named due to the nature of the charges, is accused of 78 indecent assaults and one attempted rape.

The offences are alleged to take have taken place on dates between 1971 and 1981 in a number of locations in south Dublin. They relate to four girls, who were aged between eight and fifteen at the time.

Some 42 counts relate to one of the complainants, including the charge of attempted rape.

The man is charged with 34 counts of indecent assault of a second complainant, two counts of indecent assault of a third complainant, and one charge of indecent assault of a fourth.

At the Central Criminal Court this morning, Mr Justice Paul McDermott set a trial date for 15 June 2026. 

Karl Monahan BL, appearing for the accused, told the court that the trial is likely to go into a third week. 

The judge set a date for case management for 30 January next year, and said that all disclosure in the case should be completed by that date.

The accused was not present in court. 

He was arrested at Dublin Airport in July after being extradited from the US and was subsequently charged.

He appeared before the Central Criminal Court on 29 July, where Judge Michele Finan told him that if he is to rely on an alibi, he had to give notice to the DPP within 14 days.