New trial date for man accused of sexual assault at Dublin hostel

19th September 2022

A NEW trial date has been given to a hostel resident accused of sexually assaulting his roommate.

Kurtanet Umerov (58) was charged after a man reported waking to find “a hand down his trousers”.

Mr Umerov, an out-of-work chef, is charged with sexually assaulting the man at a hostel in the city on a date in October last year.

He was due to be tried at the non-jury Dublin District Court, but when the case came before Judge Bryan Smyth, Mr Umerov was not present.

His lawyer said the accused was in hospital, gardaí were aware of this and there was no objection to an adjournment.

Judge Smyth set a new hearing date in March next year. 

Previously, the  court heard it was alleged the accused was staying at a hostel and sharing a room with another service user on the date in question.

It was alleged the man “woke up and there was a hand down his trousers.”

The court heard when charged, the accused replied: “this is not true… I am a sick man, I didn’t do anything wrong.”

Under bail conditions, Mr Umerov, a Lithuanian national with a most recent address at another hostel, had to surrender his passport.