Passersby save student from violent sex assault

Date Published: 08-Sep-2011

BY FRANK FARRAGHER

A 20-YEAR-OLD female student had a lucky escape when two passersby heard her screams after she was attacked and dragged into bushes near the Dun na Coiribe complex, off the Headford Road, in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The woman was walking back alone to her apartment at the student accommodation block between 2.30am and 2.50am when she was accosted and attack by a single male.

The attacker – a man described as 5’7” to 5’8” tall and wearing black clothes with a black peak cap – managed to drag the young woman into an area of shrubbery where he attempted to assault her.

Luckily, the woman’s screams were heard by two passersby who rushed to her aid and the attacker then ran off, leaving the victim in a badly shaken state.

The alarm was raised and Gardaí arrived at the scene a short time after – the woman was given medical assistance but was released later that morning.

Apart from being shocked and badly shaken, she is understood to be uninjured.

A Garda spokesman told the Galway City Tribune that they were taking an extremely serious view of what was a very disturbing assault on the young woman.

They have issued an appeal for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of the Dun na Coiribe estate between 2 am and 3am yesterday morning to contact them at Galway Garda Station, Mill Street (091-538000).

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.