Armagh All-Ireland winner Aidan Nugent sex case to be moved to Crown Court next month
Armagh All-Ireland winner Aidan Nugent will have his case moved to the Crown Court next month.
During a brief update in the case against the 30-year-old Nugent, a prosecuting lawyer told Armagh Magistrates Court, sitting in Newry, that “papers should be ready” so the case was ready to fix a date for the Preliminary Enquiry, the process by which a case moves to the Crown Court.
She suggested that the PE could be scheduled to be heard on July 22 but for the matter to be reviewed beforehand.
Nugent, 30, of Cullyhanna Road in Newtownhamilton, is charged with two counts of sexual assault and two of causing or inciting a person to engage in a sexual activity, namely contact with his genitals, on November 17.
When the All-Ireland winner first appeared in court last month, the PPS revealed that when the case is sent for trial that a further four charges will be added to the indictment.
It has been widely reported that the alleged incident took place while the Armagh squad were in Miami in November celebrating their 2024 All-Ireland Senior Football Championship win.
A previous hearing heard Nugent’s defence team emphasising that during formal police interviews, he claimed that “any sexual activity was consensual” and that when he was charged with the offences, Nugent replied that “I deny the allegations - it was consensual.”
The case was adjourned until July 8 for review, with District Judge Anne Marshall excusing Nugent from having to attend on that date, however she ordered that he will have to appear for the PE on July 22.