Two teenage boys have appeared in court in Northern Ireland, facing charges of attempted rape, reports RTE.
The boys, both of whom are Romanian and spoke through an interpreter, are not being named due to their age. They appeared via videolink at Coleraine Magistrates Court this morning.
The pair, both aged 14, are jointly charged with attempting to rape a teenage girl on 7 June in the Clonavon Terrace area of Ballymena, reports RTE.
A Detective Constable from the PSNI informed the court that police are also looking for a third suspect who is believed to be around the same age as the two accused.
Defence solicitor Niall O’Neill stated that “there is no application for bail this morning” due to the lack of a suitable bail address for the boys to stay at, reports RTE.
He also told District Judge Peter King that both boys denied the charges during their police interviews.
Mr. O’Neill proposed delaying the case for a week, hoping that a suitable bail address might be found by then, reports RTE.
Judge King responded that the issue was that “I do not have the power to remand them to an adult court,” and the next available Youth Court session wouldn’t be until 2 July, reports RTE.
In remanding the boys into custody until that date, Judge King suggested that if a bail address is found before then, the defence could submit a request for an earlier hearing, reports RTE.
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