Northern Ireland

Newtownards man to stand trial on rape charge

A CO Down man was ordered to stand trial accused of raping a woman.

Standing in the dock of Newtownards Magistrates Court, 21-year-old Robert James Hindes confirmed he understood the charge against him.

Hindes, from Regency Park in Newtownards, is accused of raping a woman on March 4 last year.

Nothing of the facts giving rise to the charge were opened in court but a prosecuting lawyer submitted there was a case against Hindes, a submission conceded by the defence.

District Judge Steven Keown told the lawyers “I’m satisfied that there’s a case to answer.”

Freeing Hindes on continuing bail, Judge Keown ordered him to appear at Downpatrick Crown Court on July 2 when the charge will be put to him for arraignment.

As part of his bail conditions, Hindes is to have no contact with either the alleged victim or prosecution witnesses.

He is also barred from having unsupervised contact with any female under 16-years-old.