Two freed in Cork rape inquiry

Gardaí in Cork are to prepare a file for the DPP after releasing without charge two young men arrested for questioning about …

Gardaí in Cork are to prepare a file for the DPP after releasing without charge two young men arrested for questioning about the rape of a woman near the city over the weekend.

The attack on the woman, who is in her early 30s, happened after she accepted a lift from three men in a van as she was leaving a party in Glanmire sometime after 2am yesterday morning.

The woman began to feel uncomfortable and asked to be left out of the van but the men drove to somewhere in the Glanmire area where they raped the woman before letting her go around 4am.

The woman managed to contact gardai and was brought to the Sexual Assault Unit at the South Infirmary Victoria University Hospital where she was medically examined.

Gardaí launched an immediate investigation and arrested an 18-year-old and a juvenile in the Gurranebraher area shortly after 6am and brought them to Togher Garda Station for questioning.

The two were arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardai detain suspects for an initial 12 hours and a further 12 hours if necessary.

A third person - also a juvenile - was not arrested but came to Togher Garda Station accompanied by his parents and made a witness statement to interviewing detectives.

Gardaí also seized a van which was also brought to Togher Garda Staton where garda technical experts carried out a forensic examination of the vehicle.

The two arrested people were released without charge from Garda custody at around midnight last night and gardaí will now prepare a file on the matter for the DPP.