
The State is calling him "a serious flight risk".
An asylum seeker accused of raping a teenage girl in Athlone earlier this year has been refused bail.
The 23-year-old man, who cannot be named for legal reasons and to protect the identity of his alleged victim, is charged in connection to the alleged incident at a location in the midlands town on a date unknown between February 16 and February 17, 2025.
The State objected to the bail on the grounds that the man represented what they're calling "a serious flight risk".
The Irish Independent is report the man is originally from Lesotho in South Africa, and arrived here in July 2024.
He's been remanded in custody to appear back before a sitting of Athlone District Court on July 2 when a book of evidence will be served.