Tourist sexually assaulted in city centre
The woman had only arrived in Cork the previous evening and was planning to travel to the west of the country.
Just before 6am, she was waiting at the back of the Parnell Place bus station for the station to open when she was attacked by a Cork man in his early 30s.
It is understood the attacker, who is known to gardaí, dragged the woman into Connell Street, a side lane off Lower Oliver Plunkett Street, where he carried out what gardaí described as a serious sexual assault in a doorway close to the Donnybrook Pentecostal Church.
During the attack which lasted for several minutes, a passing motorist saw what was happening and called gardaí.
A mobile patrol was on the scene quickly and was able to arrest the alleged attacker within yards of the victim. He was being questioned under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984.
The woman, who is in her mid-40s, was taken for treatment to the Sexual Assault Unit at the South Infirmary Hospital.
For most of yesterday morning, the scene of the attack was sealed off while garda technical experts carried out a detailed forensic examination.
Gardaí have appealed for anyone who was in the area at the time and may have information to contact them at Anglesea Street Garda Station on 021 4522000.
They are also searching for a set of keys that was dropped somewhere between the back of the bus station and Connell Street.
