16-year-old foreign girl allegedly raped in Limerick

A 16-year-old girl is being treated at the Sexual Assualts Unit in Cork following an alleged rape in Limerick city.

The victim, who is understood to be a Russian national, was allegedly attacked at around 11pm last night in the Shannon Banks area of Corbally on the outskirts of the city.

Gardaí confirmed that they are interviewing a 27-year-old German man in connection with the alleged incident.

It is understood the victim is one of a large number of foreign students in Limerick studying English for the summer.

Details as to what happened remain sketchy as gardaí work with the assistance of an interpreter.

According to one arGda source there is nothing to indicate the victim was randomly "jumped" as the chief suspect is well-known to her.

"We don't want people to be running scared out there, thinking there is a serial rapist. It was not a case that the young woman was jumped out of the blue as she was out walking," said the source.

"We are following a definite line of inquiry in this matter," he added. The teenage victim was taken to the Sexual Assualts Unit at University College Hospital in Cork this morning for tests as there is no sexual assault unit in the mid-west.

She will be released later in the afternooon and is expected to receive counselling.