A TAXI driver who is accused of sexually assaulting a student has been given permission to return home to Nigeria to visit his sick mother.

The 33-year-old, who has an address in the city, is charged in relation to an offence which is alleged to have happened in the Castletroy area on September 1, 2016.

Opposing the man’s application for the return of his passport, Detective Garda David Godfrey said it will be alleged the teenager flagged down the taxi after leaving a pub at around 1.30am.

He told John O’Sullivan BL, prosecuting, it is the State case the man inappropriately touched the woman in the taxi shortly after he picked her up.

He said it will also be alleged that he “took out his penis”, despite resistance from the woman.

Judge Tom O’Donnell was told the defendant was previously granted bail subject to a number of conditions including that he surrender his passport to gardai.

When asked by barrister Liam Carroll, Detective Garda Godfrey confirmed he has complied with all of the bail conditions to date.

Moving the application on behalf of his client, Mr Carroll said the married man, who has a number of children, intends travelling to Nigeria for a number of weeks at the end of June.

He said his client’s elderly mother is unwell and that the visit could be the last time he will see her alive.

The detective noted Ireland does not have an extradition treaty with Nigeria and he expressed concern the defendant will not return to stand trial.

Having considered the matter, Judge O’Donnell noted the accused man has complied with the conditions of his bail to date.

He directed that his passport be returned to him by gardai ahead of his scheduled departure date.

All other bail conditions are to be suspended for the duration of his visit to Nigeria.

The man was ordered to give copies of his travel documents to gardai.