No interpreter leads to sexual assault case being adjourned at Derry court

A court hearing for a 20-year-old Italian exchange student accused of sexually assaulting five boys in Derry waa adjourned today as there was no interpreter present.

Ivan Zali, with an address in Italy, appeared before Derry Magistrates Court to face five charges of sexually touching a child under 13 and three further charges of sexual assault.

The alleged offences are said to have occurred on 17 August last year when he was working in a youth club in the city and was here as a resident foreign exchange student.

His parents, sister and his brother, who is a member of the Italian armed forces, were present in court.

Zali previously claimed he did have contact with children but the touching was not sexual but 'horseplay'.

The defence said matters had been made difficult by the fact that there was no interpreter in court and that he was trying to explain what was happening to the accused and his family.

He asked, that in light of this problem, the matter be adjourned.

The case was put back to July 22.