Following an incident that occurred earlier this year in North Cork, a 16-year-old boy has been arrested and charged, and placed in detention with an option for bail. It was reported that he assaulted a woman in her 30s in a woodland area nearby the popular public facility, Island Wood, just outside Newmarket. The assault transpired while the woman was strolling through a forest path around 7:15 in the evening on June 6th. The suspected teenager, who remains anonymous due to his minor status, fled the scene after the woman successfully fought him off.
The initial arrest of the adolescent took place on June 21st in relation to the crime, where he was taken to Mallow Garda Station for questioning. After several hours of investigation, he was released without any charges. However, recent information led to his rearrest.
During a special session at the Clonakilty District Court on Friday, the teenager was charged with two offences. He was charged with sexually assaulting the woman at Island Wood on June 6th, violating section 2 of the Criminal Law (Rape Amendment) Act of 1990, and indecent exposure intending to inflict fear, distress or alarm, which breaches section 45 of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences) of 2017.
Evidence of arrest, charge and caution relating to the offences was presented by Det Garda Noelle McSweeney of Mallow Garda Station. In response to the charges, the accused remained silent.
Judge Brendan O’Reilly arranged for the teenager to remain in detention at the Oberstown Children’s Detention Campus, granting bail under certain conditions. He will reappear at Mallow District Court at the Juvenile Court session on Tuesday.