Serious Assault at Watercourse Road, Cork City on the 18/3/11

The Gardaí at Watercourse Road Garda Station are investigating a serious assault on a woman that occurred in the early hours of Friday, the 18th March 2011.

At 10pm on Thursday, the 17th March the woman met up with friends to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. They went to a pub on Winthrop Street and had a couple of drinks.  At around 1.30am or 2am the woman left the pub to head home.  She was alone and walked from Bridge Street onto Coburg Street and then onto Leitrim Street.  The woman put on head phones to listen to some music.

A man walking from Devonshire Street towards the junction at Coburg Street noticed the woman and sharply changed direction.  He was now walking on Leitrim Street in the same direction as the woman.  The woman first noticed this man here.  The man managed to get ahead of the woman and walked up steps leading onto the North City Road where he went into a garage and purchased a bottle of water, he was keeping a look out for the woman at all times.  As the woman passed the garage the man was behind her.  The woman noticed the same man again and crossed over the road and walked by the Heineken Brewery that leads onto Watercourse Road.  As the woman was turning on Watercourse Road she was grabbed from behind and dragged down a flight of stairs to the basement of the Constellation Public House losing her shoes and handbag.  The man was now standing in front of her holding onto her right arm.  He punched her in the face several times and the woman fell to the ground.  The man pulled her back to her feet and continued to assault her.  The woman was screaming and in fear for her life, the man put his hand over her mouth and she bite down on his little finger causing him to bleed.  The woman spoke to the man and tried to calm him down.  The woman noticed the man had a cork city accent.  At this stage the man left and walked away, leaving the women injured and in shock.  She used the flashlight on her mobile phone to find her personal belongings.  She called her friend who called the Gardaí.

Description of Man:  Between 5ft 6inches to 5ft 9inches in height, with short spiky hair, possibly fair in colour, wearing a dark fabric jacket with epaulettes on the shoulders, light blue jeans and dark shoes.

Appeal:

• Anyone who was in the area of Watercourse Road at the time of the incident who may have seen this man.
• Anyone who noticed a man with an injury to his hand or finger on the 18th March or days after the incident to contact the Gardaí.
• A member of the public used the green man at Watercourse Garda Station to alert Gardaí that he heard a women screaming. Gardaí are appealing for this witness to come forward.

The Gardaí at Watercourse Road Garda Station are investigating        Telephone (021)  4558260