A woman and two men have been charged with the rape and sexual abuse of the woman’s two children over a two-year period, following early morning raids by Gardai at two houses in the west of the country.

All three, who cannot be identified in order to protect the children’s identities, were brought in custody before Galway District Court and were granted bail with strict conditions attached.

The 36-year-old woman is charged with four counts of raping her daughter on various dates between October 20, 2012 and October 10, 2013.

She is also charged with the false imprisonment and ten counts of the sexual exploitation of the girl between the same dates.

The woman is also charged with ten counts of sexually assaulting the girl and with one charge of reckless endangerment by permitting the girl to be placed in a situation that created a risk of her becoming a victim of sexual abuse.

The woman is further charged with the reckless endangerment of her son on dates between January 1, 2013 and September 3, 2014, by permitting him to be placed in a situation that created a risk to him becoming a victim of sexual abuse.

The woman’s 48-year-old partner faces 10 counts of raping the girl and a further ten counts of raping the boy.

He is also charged with 20 counts of sexual exploitation, 20 counts of sexually assaulting both children, two counts of reckless endangerment, and one count of false imprisonment. All of the charges relate to dates between October 20, 2012 and September 3, 2014.

The second man, aged 53, is charged with 20 counts of raping the boy. He is also charged with ten counts of sexual assault and ten counts of sexual exploitation of the boy.

The man is also charged with four counts of raping the girl and with a further four counts of sexually assaulting her.

He is further charged with four counts involving the sexual exploitation of the girl. All of the offences are alleged to have occurred at the man’s own home during the same dates as above.

Judge Mary Fahy remanded all three accused on bail by consent to appear back before her court again next month for service of Books of Evidence.

Bail was granted on condition: they sign on three times a week at their local Garda Station; surrender their passports and not apply for new ones or an travel documents; not interfere or try to contact the complainants or other witnesses by any means, either directly or indirectly, to include social media; provide mobile numbers to Gardai and answer their phones when Gardai ring; observe nightly curfews between 11p.m and 7a.m.; be of good behaviour and not reoffend; abstain from alcohol; and reside at their respective addresses and inform their solicitors and Gardai of any change of address within 24 hours.

Owing to the seriousness of the charges, Judge Fahy said she was granting Free Legal Aid to all three who had separate solicitors appointed to represent them.

The judge also imposed reporting restrictions regarding the identities of all three accused, to protect the children’s identities.

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