A 40 year-old part-time bus driver has appeared at Derry Magistrates Court accused of raping a 15 year-old boy.

Michael Doherty, of Ballyarnett Village, is alleged to have committed the offence on November 8.

The court was told that the boy and two friends had been in the Glen Road area on that date and he later got seperated from his friends and went to the house of a woman known to him for a cigarette.

The court heard that Doherty is the ex-partner of the woman and was present in the house.

The court was told Doherty gave the 15 year-old boy three or four shots of Jagermeister, but the woman was concerned about the boy being in Doherty's company and asked a neighbour to take him out of the house.

The boy met back up with his friends and they later encountered Doherty, who was said to have been very drunk and aggressive to the boys and wrestled one of them to the ground.

The court was told the injured party led Doherty away from them to try and calm him down and take him back to his ex-partner's house.

However, Doherty allegedly then told the boy he was going to rape him.

Doherty is then alleged to have grabbed the boy by the fringe and sexually assaulted him.

The court heard Doherty's ex-partner came around the corner and shoved him away from the boy, who then told his friend's father and his partner what had happened.

When questioned by police, Doherty said he could remember meeting the boy earlier in the night but couldn't recall anything after that. 

Police objected to bail saying they feared Doherty would interfere with witnesses.

District Judge Barney McElholm said the matter would take a long time to come before the court and added that feelings were running high and he did not want to run the risk of the boy running into Doherty in the city centre.

Doherty was granted his own bail of £1,000 to reside in London and a further £1,000 cash surety.

He is banned from entering Northern Ireland or Donegal unless directed to do so by the court.

The matter will appear back before the court again on December 4.

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