Gardaí investigate underage sex case
The girl, who is from the city, informed her parents two days later and they immediately accompanied her to Roxboro Road Garda Station where she gave a statement of complaint.
Gardaí, who dismissed reports the girl had been dragged into the van by a violent male assailant, believe force was not used.
However, the girl, according to one report, was visibly upset immediately afterwards when she met another girl. The incident allegedly happened early last week.
Gardaí reportedly know the identity of the 17-year-old, who is from the county and they plan to interview him today.
If gardaí obtain sufficient evidence the pair had sex, irrespective of whether or not it was consensual, a charge of statutory rape is likely as the girl is under 17.
The boy had travelled with a number of other youths to the shopping centre in a van. The girl and the youth were alone in the vehicle when the incident under investigation took place.
The pair may have known each other, prior to meeting at the shopping centre.
When they were at the crowded centre, they met up after texts were passed between them and they proceeded to the van.
The matter only came to the attention of the gardaí when her parents brought her to Roxboro Road station two days later.
She was immediately brought for a forensic medical examination at a Cork hospital before she gave a detailed statement.
