A 25-year-old woman who was dragged down an alleyway and violently beaten is recovering in hospital in Limerick.
The young woman was walking home alone at around 3.30am yesterday when a man dragged her down a laneway off Upper Mallow Street in Limerick city centre.
The victim was subjected to a "serious beating", according to a Garda spokesman, but managed to fight off her attacker and get away. She was not sexually assaulted but gardaí have not ruled out the possibility this was the likely motive for the attack.
The victim was taken to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital in Limerick, where she is being treated for a number of injuries to her face and body.
"There was quite a degree of brute force used against her and she suffered serious injuries but they are not life-threatening," said a Garda spokesman.
"She did put up a struggle which seemed to have been sufficient enough to fight him off."
The scene where the attack took place, which is known as Daly's Lane, was sealed off yesterday for technical examination.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Henry Street Garda station on (061) 212400.