Gardai arrest man over slash attack on woman in Cork

Gardai in Cork have arrested a man (31) for questioning about an attack on a woman when she had her face slashed with a blade after parking her car near the city centre earlier this year.

Detectives arrested the man at a house in the Douglas area of Cork’s southside at 9am on Tuesday as part of an investigation into the activities of an organised crime gang in the city and surrounding areas.

The man was taken to Mayfield Garda station where he was questioned about an attack on a woman (29) as she got out of her car at Ardfallen Terrace off Friar Street on March 23rd last.

The woman had just got out of her car at 11.30am when a lone assailant approached her armed with a Stanley knife or similar type blade and slashed her across the face a number of times.

The woman was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where she underwent emergency surgery for what one garda source described as “horrific injuries” to her face.

Gardai believe the incident was linked to a row which broke out on Drawbridge Street in the city centre on March 16th between two women in their 20s in which one alleged she was assaulted.

The man arrested this morning was arrested under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardai detain suspects for up to seven days before they have to be charged or released.

It follows the arrest of a man (71) in the Tower area of Blarney yesterday morning for questioning as part of the same investigation into the knife attack and general criminal activity.

The man was initially taken to Mayfield Garda Station but was later brought to the Bridewell Garda Station where he was questioned for over 12 hours before being released without charge.

A garda spokesman said gardai will now prepare a file for the DPP in relation to the involvement of the man (71) in the activities of an organised crime gang and the attack on the woman (29)

The arrest on Tuesday and Wednesday bring to four the number of people arrested in connection with the slash attack and follow the arrest of a man and woman on June 3rd as part of the same investigation.

A 21-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman were both arrested at a house in the Tower area of Blarney and were questioned at Togher and the Bridewell Garda Stations for questioning.

Both the man, who is from Midleton, and the woman, who is from Tower, were later released without charge and a file will be prepared for the DPP on their involvement in organised crime.