A 34-year-old man was remanded in custody when he faced a court this afternoon charged with raping a woman at the weekend.

James Frickleton, of no fixed abode, was charged with committing the offence at St Columb’s Park in the Waterside area of Derry in the early hours of yesterday morning.

During his appearance at Derry Magistrates’ Court, Frickleton was also charged with carrying out a serious sexual assault on the woman.

A PSNI detective constable told the court she could connect the accused to the charges.

Defence solicitor, Seamus Quigley, told the court during the three-minute hearing there would be no application for bail as the accused had only come to Derry from “down south” in the past week.

Frickleton was remanded in custody to appear in court again on 13 November next via video link.