Man held over attack on woman in Glanmire

A MAN was arrested in Cork last night in connection with an investigation into an attack on a Polish woman in the driveway of a busy hotel.

The man, in his 30s was being detained last night for questioning as gardaí study CCTV footage.

The woman, who is in her 20s, accepted the lift from the man after missing her bus. She was standing at the bus stop near the Crestfield Centre in Glanmire, Co Cork, at 8.30am yesterday when the man drove up and asked if she wanted a lift. He then drove to a garage in Glanmire village and went into the shop.

The man then drove her halfway up the drive into the Vienna Woods Hotel where he stopped the car and grabbed her. The woman managed to struggle free and jumped out of the car.

She flagged down another vehicle which was coming up the driveway. The distraught woman explained to the driver of that car what had happened and he immediately rang 999. In the meantime, her attacker had turned his Volkswagen Passat around and rammed the other car in order to make his escape.

Superintendent Pat Sheahan, who is leading the investigation, said the Volkswagen Passat was damaged on its rear right side.

He said gardaí had interviewed the woman at length.

“She was physically assaulted but not sexually assaulted. But we believe the motive was probably sexual,” said Supt Sheahan.

Detectives were examining CCTV footage from the Glanmire area in the hope of getting the registration number of the Passat.

Supt Sheahan said that gardaí were particularly anxious to hear from anybody who saw the woman standing at the bus stop, but more especially anyone who may have seen the man in the Volkswagen Passat pick her up.

* Anybody with information is asked to ring Glanmire Garda Station at 021-4821002 or Cobh Garda Station at 021-4908530