A man has appeared in court in Co Donegal charged with alleged rape and sexual assault of three young boys.
The man, who appeared at Letterkenny District Court, faces a total of 55 charges.
The man, who is in his 70s, cannot be named at this stage of proceedings.
Garda Gillian Page told the court she served a book of evidence on the man when he appeared in court, but that he made no reply.
He is charged with the various offences at a location in Co Donegal on various dates in both the late 1990s and the early 2000s.
The man did not speak during the court appearance.
He is charged with numerous counts of sexual assault against the three boys on various dates.
All these charges are Contrary to Section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act of 1990, as amended by Section 37 of the Sex Offenders Act of 2001.
He is also charged with a number of counts of rape, Contrary to Section 4 of the Criminal Law (Rape) (Amendment) Act, of 1990.
The man was released on his own bail and ordered to have no contact with witnesses or alleged injured parties and to provide gardaí with a mobile phone number.
As the case finished, a man from the body of the court stood up, pointed his finger at the accused and shouted “You’re a scumbag, you’re a scumbag.”
The man was forwarded for trial to the next sitting of the Central Criminal Court.