A Garda van on fire last year at Citywest (Image: The Echo Newspaper)
Charges dropped against man accused in case that sparked Citywest riots
Charges against a man accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl, which sparked riots in Citywest last year, have been dropped.
The 27-year-old who cannot be identified for legal reasons appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on Friday morning via video link from prison after he was arrested and charged last year in connection with two alleged incidents at Garter’s Lane and another nearby location in the area in October 2025.
The accused appeared in court charged as part of the investigation days after the alleged incident took place and has been detained in custody since.
He had been charged with two counts of sexual assault contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act 1990, as amended by Section 37 of the Sex Offenders Act 2001.
The alleged incident led to a spell of protests and riots outside the state-owned IPAS centre, Citywest Hotel – a garda van was set alight at one of these protests, and protestors hurled glass bottles, wheelie bins and bricks at a line of gardaí holding riot shields across the gate. Over 30 people were arrested across two nights.
The crowd at the first night of violence shouted chants of “get them out”, and protestors on horses and ponies attempted to charge gardaí.
A line of gardaí in riot gear was present on the night along with gardaí on horseback and it marked the first occasion the water cannon was deployed by An Garda Síochána as members worked to clear the road.
A second night of violence succeeded this the next day, with a string of peaceful protests also taking place after these events.
A senior counsel for the State informed the court of their wish to withdraw charges via nolle prosequi – a formal entry on court record that states charges will no longer be pursued.
Judge Martin Nolan informed the defendant that the case would not move forward. A trial date of April 2027 was vacated.
