A member of Armagh's All-Ireland winning Gaelic football team has appeared in court charged with sexual assault. Aidan Nugent, 30, of Cullyhanna Road, Newtownhamilton, faces four charges against one female complainant - two of sexual assault and two of causing a person to engage in a sexual act. The charges relate to an alleged incident during a wider squad trip to the Eden Roc resort in Miami Beach in November of last year.
Appearing at Armagh Magistrates' Court, sitting in Newry, this morning, Mr. Nugent spoke to confirm his name and date of birth. An investigating officer said he could connect Mr. Nugent to the charge. The court heard that an initial contact was made between the complainant and police on November 19, 2024. She attended a station the following day.
Mr. Nugent was contacted by police on December 10, 2024 - he then attended Banbridge PSNI station for an interview. He was further interviewed on March 31, 2025, and charged on April 14, 2025. Mr. Nugent's solicitor told the court his client had told police during the interview: "I deny the allegation, it was consensual." Ongoing bail was granted. The case will return to court on June 3, 2025.
Aidan Nugent, a member of the Armagh squad that won last year's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship, appeared in court on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, charged with four sexual offences. The offences are alleged to have happened on November 17, 2024, during the team's end-of-season trip to Miami in Florida.
Nugent, from Cullyhanna Road in Newtownhamilton, is charged with two counts of sexual assault and two of causing a person to engage in a sexual act. A PSNI detective constable, who is the senior investigating officer in the case, told the court that he could connect the 30-year-old to the charges.
In response to questions by a barrister for Mr. Nugent, the officer confirmed that during police interviews he denied the allegations and claimed that any sexual activity had been consensual. Mr. Nugent was remanded on continuing bail with the condition that he does not make any contact with the alleged injured party. The case will return to court in June 2025.
While none of the facts were given in court, a detective constable said that he could connect Nugent to the charges. It has been widely reported that the alleged incident took place while the Armagh squad was in Miami in November celebrating their All-Ireland win. Meanwhile, a prosecutor told the court that the case is proceeding on indictment to the Crown Court where an additional four charges will be levied against the defendant.
Under cross-examination from defence solicitor Patrick Higgins, the detective constable agreed that Nugent has been on police bail since November and that there had been no breaches. The officer also agreed that during formal police interviews, Nugent claimed that "any sexual activity was consensual" and that when he was charged with the offences Nugent replied that "I deny the allegations - it was consensual."
The prosecution asked for the case to be adjourned until June 3, when a preliminary inquiry date will be set. They also requested an additional bail condition for Nugent not to contact two witnesses "except for the purposes of football." This was objected to by Mr. Higgins and ultimately District Judge Anne Marshall did not alter the conditions.
Last November, the wider Armagh GAA squad travelled to the Eden Roc resort in Miami Beach to celebrate the county's first All-Ireland title in 22 years. They defeated Galway in the final at Croke Park in July 2024. Players, the management team, family members, and other senior figures from the Armagh County Board spent a week in Miami.
On Tuesday, a prosecution lawyer asked for Mr. Nugent's bail conditions to continue, stating that he should have "no contact, by any means" with the complainant. She also sought further conditions, asking for no contact with two named witnesses "except for the purposes of football," but this was refused by District Judge Anne Marshall, who did not alter the current bail conditions.
The case was adjourned to June 3, 2025, and Mr. Nugent was told he did not need to attend the next hearing. The legal proceedings will continue as the court seeks to address the charges against him. As the situation unfolds, both the prosecution and defence are preparing for the next steps in this serious matter.
