Ireland Sexual assault charges dropped, man rearrested for deportation in Dublin
A 27-year-old Sudanese man was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl in October 2025 after an alleged incident near an IPAS centre at Citywest, Saggart, Dublin. The allegations and misinformation circulated online fuelled three days of rioting in the area, during which 37 people were arrested. On 23 October 2026, the DPP withdrew both charges via nolle prosequi at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, and Judge Martin Nolan ordered the man released from custody. He was immediately rearrested by the Garda National Immigration Bureau on a deportation order and is now in custody in the Midlands area. Ireland has reached an agreement with the Sudanese government to facilitate his deportation.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrested23 Oct
- Chargednot reported
- In court23 Oct
2 reports - Verdict
- Sentenced
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- A 27-year-old Sudanese man was charged with two counts of sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl.
- It was alleged that the man kissed the girl.
- Where
- The alleged incident took place near an IPAS centre at Citywest, Saggart, Dublin.
- When
- The alleged incident occurred on 20 October 2025.
- Cause
- False allegations and misinformation circulated online fuelled three days of rioting at Citywest in October 2025.
- Investigation
- Thirty-seven people were arrested over the riots and 28 were charged with criminal offences.
- At a December 2025 hearing, the man told gardai the girl said she was 18 and that he had just kissed her.
- The man was immediately rearrested by the Garda National Immigration Bureau on a deportation order in the Midlands area.
- Charges
- The man was initially charged with one count of sexual assault, and a second count was added at a December 2025 hearing.
- In court
- On 23 October 2026, the DPP withdrew both charges via nolle prosequi at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court and Judge Martin Nolan discharged the man from the indictment and ordered his release from custody.
- Other details
- The man's application for international protection had been refused and a deportation order issued in spring 2025 was never executed.
- Ireland reached an agreement with the Sudanese government to facilitate the man's deportation.
- The girl was in Tusla care and was missing from her care home at the time of the alleged incident.
50 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA man in his 20s was arrested on foot of a deportation order (garda.ie)
- whatThe man was charged with sexual assault of a young girl at Citywest in Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
- whatIt was alleged that the man kissed the girl. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe man was released from Midlands prison. (rte.ie)
- whereThe arrest took place in the Midlands area (garda.ie)
- whereThe original Garda press release was amended to say the arrest took place in the Midlands area, not Dublin. (gript.ie)
- whereThe alleged meeting took place near a hotel used as an IPAS centre. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe charges against the man were dropped on the day of the article. (rte.ie)
- whenThe alleged sexual assault happened on October 20th last year near an IPAS centre. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe alleged incidents took place at Citywest, Saggart, on 20 October 2025. (gript.ie)
- causeFalse allegations and misinformation circulated online and fuelled three days of rioting at Citywest in Dublin in October 2025. (rte.ie)
- investigationThirty-seven people were arrested over the riots, and 28 of them were charged with criminal offences. (rte.ie)
- investigationThe arrest was carried out by Gardaí from the Garda National Immigration Bureau (garda.ie)
- investigationThe man was arrested by the Garda National Immigration Bureau on a deportation order immediately after being freed. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationAt a December 2025 hearing the man was reported to have told gardai the girl said she was 18 and that he had just kissed her. (gript.ie)
- investigationThe DPP decided a successful prosecution was unlikely after reviewing the file. (thejournal.ie)
- chargeThe man was arrested and charged with two counts of sexual assault on 20 October 2025. (rte.ie)
- chargeTwo charges of sexual assault against the man were dropped. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeHe was initially charged with one count of sexual assault, and a second count was added at a hearing in December. (irishtimes.com)
- chargeThe accused had been sent forward for trial on two charges, both relating to sexual assault of a child. (gript.ie)
- chargeThe man had been held on remand since being charged in October of last year. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe State told Judge Martin Nolan in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that it was not proceeding against the man. (rte.ie)
- courtThe judge directed that the man be released from custody. (rte.ie)
- courtA senior counsel for the State told the court nolle prosequis were being entered on both charges. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe accused appeared by video-link from the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe judge ordered that the man be released from custody. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe Director of Public Prosecutions indicated it would not pursue the alleged offences. (gript.ie)
- courtJudge Nolan discharged the man from the indictment, ordered his release from custody and the trial date was vacated. (gript.ie)
- courtBoth charges were withdrawn through a nolle prosequi. (gript.ie)
- courtThe DPP withdrew the sexual assault charges against the Sudanese man in court. (thejournal.ie)
- courtCounsel for the DPP applied to strike out the two charges in court on 23 October. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe judge freed the man, but gardaí immediately rearrested him on a deportation order. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe man was rearrested on a deportation order. (rte.ie)
- otherThe man was arrested by officers from the Garda National Immigration Bureau. (rte.ie)
- otherThe individual is currently in custody (garda.ie)
- otherHis deportation was ordered in spring of last year but never executed. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA large protest at the Citywest IPAS centre turned violent days after the accusation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherTusla apologised for a statement it issued about the girl at the time. (irishtimes.com)
- otherA man in his 20s was arrested by Gardaí from the GNIB on foot of a deportation order. (gript.ie)
- otherGript understands the man is the Sudanese asylum seeker charged with sex offences over an alleged incident involving a 10-year-old girl in State care. (gript.ie)
- otherThe accused's application for international protection had been refused and he was subject to a deportation order. (gript.ie)
- otherNo official reason for the charges being dropped has been made public. (gript.ie)
- otherThe allegations sparked protests outside the Citywest complex that escalated into violent disorder. (gript.ie)
- otherThe girl was missing from her Tusla care home. (thejournal.ie)
- otherNews of the alleged incident prompted two nights of rioting in the area. (thejournal.ie)
- otherSome garda investigators were surprised by the decision to withdraw the case. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe man had previously failed in several bids to stay in Ireland and a warrant had been issued to remove him. (thejournal.ie)
- otherIreland has reached an agreement with the Sudanese government to deport the man. (thejournal.ie)
- otherAn agreement with the Sudanese embassy in Dublin resolved the problem of the man's travel documents. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe man is in custody in Midlands Prison. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 31 Oct2026Man to be deported to Sudan after Citywest sexual assault charge dropped
Reports that the DPP withdrew the charges on 23 October, that the man was rearrested on a deportation order, and that an agreement with Sudan is being arranged for his deportation.
accused, male, Sudanese, non-irishvictim, female - 23 Oct2026Man arrested on foot of deportation order
Both sexual assault charges were withdrawn via nolle prosequi at the DPP's direction; Judge Nolan discharged the man from the indictment and ordered his release. He was subsequently arrested by GNIB on foot of a deportation order. An update amended the arrest location from Dublin to the Midlands area. The man had previously told gardai the girl said she was 18 and he had 'just kissed her.' The allegations had sparked protests and violent disorder outside Citywest in October 2025.
accused, 27, male, Sudanese, non-irishvictim, 10, female - 23 Oct2026Man arrested for deportation after Citywest sexual assault case is dropped
Adds details on the DPP's decision to discontinue the prosecution, the immediate deportation arrest by GNIB, the man's statement about the second charge, the rioting details, and Tusla's apology for its earlier statement.
accused, 27, male, non-irish (judged from name)victim, 10, female - 23 Oct2026Male Arrested On Foot of Deportation Order – 23rd October 2026
Initial report of a GNIB arrest on foot of a deportation order in the Midlands area.
accused, 20s, male - 23 Oct2026Man rearrested after Citywest assault charges dropped
Charges dropped via nolle prosecui; man released from Midlands prison and immediately rearrested by Garda National Immigration Bureau on a deportation order.
accused, 27, malevictim, female
Changed after publication
facts outlets added, removed or correctedthejournal.ie, 31 Oct 2026: Man to be deported to Sudan after Citywest sexual assault charge dropped
- CorrectedThe man's legal outcome changed from being cleared of the sexual assault to having the charges dropped. (was A man was cleared of a sexual assault on a young girl at Citywest in Dublin., now Charges that he sexually assaulted a young girl at Citywest in Dublin were dropped.)
- AddedIreland is named as the party that reached the deportation agreement with the Sudanese government.
thejournal.ie, 31 Oct 2026: Man to be deported to Sudan after Citywest sexual assault charge dropped
- RemovedThe location of the incident was given as near Santry in Dublin, and this detail was dropped.
- CorrectedThe victim was described as a teenage girl and is now described only as a young girl. (was A sexual assault on a teenage girl at Citywest., now A sexual assault on a young girl at Citywest.)
rte.ie, 30 Oct 2026: Man rearrested after Citywest assault charges dropped
- RemovedGardaí had ruled out foul play in the deaths of a man and a woman in Bray.
- AddedA court was told that a Sinn Féin TD signed off on two non-charity entities.