A teenager has been remanded in detention with consent to bail after he was arrested and charged in connection with an incident in north Cork earlier this year where a woman was sexually assaulted while walking in a woodland area.
The 16-year-old, who cannot be named because he is a juvenile, was arrested by gardaí investigating the attack on the woman in her 30s while she was out walking at the Island Wood public amenity near Newmarket in north Cork.
The woman was walking on a forest trail at the popular recreation area outside the town at around 7.15pm on the evening of June 6th last when she was attacked by a lone male who fled after she managed to fight him off.
Gardaí previously arrested the teenager on June 21st for questioning about the incident. He was taken to Mallow Garda station where he was detained for several hours and interviewed about the assault before he was released without charge.
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On Friday gardaí rearrested the teenager on foot of new information, and he was brought to a special sitting of Clonakilty District Court, where he was charged with two offences in relation to the incident.
The teenager was charged with sexual assault of the woman at the Island Wood, Newmarket, on June 6th, contrary to section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape Amendment) Act, 1990. He was also charged with a second offence of exposing his genitals on the same date and at the same location, intending to cause fear, distress or alarm to the woman, contrary to section 45 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences), 2017.
Det Garda Noelle McSweeney of Mallow Garda station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in relation to the charges, and told the court that the teenager made no reply to either charge when they were put to him after caution.
Judge Brendan O’Reilly remanded the accused in detention at Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus with consent to bail with conditions, to appear again at the Juvenile Court sitting at Mallow District Court on Tuesday.
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