Gardaí search for rapist who attacked student
The woman, believed to be in her late teens, was returning from a student ball in Cork city early yesterday morning when she alleged she was grabbed from behind by a man.
He dragged her into waste ground near University College Cork and initially threatened to rob her. However, he then went on to rape the young woman.
“We are treating this as a particularly vicious incident,” a garda spokesman said. He added the woman raised the alarm after she managed to stop a taxi. She was taken to the Sexual Assault Treatment unit at the South Infirmary Hospital where she was examined.
Gardaí immediately sealed off the scene and carried out a forensic examination of the area. The young woman had left a student ball at Jurys Hotel on Western Road and was walking along Magazine Road at around 3.35am when the man struck. He pulled her down School Lane to a piece of waste ground adjacent to the university where the rape is said to have taken place.
“We are anxious to speak to any member of the public who may have been in the Magazine Road area between 3am and 4am,” the garda spokesman said.
Gardaí believe the man may have fled on foot but haven’t ruled out the possibility he may have had a car nearby. The spokesman described the alleged culprit as being 19 or 20-years-old, wearing blue jeans and a light-coloured shirt. He is believed to be around 5ft 8ins tall.
Anybody with information is asked to contact Bishopstown Garda Station at (021) 4541012 or Togher Garda Station at (021) 4947120.
