A 26-year-old man has appeared in court charged in connection with the sexual assault of a young girl in Dublin yesterday.

He appeared in Blanchardstown District Court this morning.

The 26-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is charged with the serious sexual assault on a 10-year-old girl at Garter Lane, Saggart in Southwest Dublin in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The court heard that the accused man was arrested and charged at 3:58 this morning at Clondalkin Garda Station.

When the charge was put to him, he replied “I have nothing to say”.

The accused was granted legal aid and assigned an Arabic interpreter.

There was no application for bail.

He will appear again before Cloverhill District Court tomorrow morning, when the accused is expected to make a bail application.