Woman (20s) hospitalised after alleged stabbing and sexual assault in Kerry
Garda tape at Maine Street today, Thursday, March 14. Photo by Mark O'Sullivan.
A young woman has been hospitalised after she was stabbed and allegedly sexually assaulted in Kerry this morning.
The victim was seriously injured during the suspected random attack at her home in Tralee shortly after 9am.
Gardaí have since arrested a suspect in relation to the incident and he remains in custody in the Kerry division.
At this stage gardaí believe a man broke into the residential property on Maine Street in the town before subjecting the woman to an alleged serious sexual assault.
The female, aged in her 20s, was also stabbed with a sharp implement during the incident.
The suspect subsequently fled the scene and emergency services were notified, leading to a significant policing response in the area.
An ambulance rushed the woman to University Hospital Kerry where she is being treated for serious but non-life threatening injuries.
Local gardaí have been carrying out inquiries to locate the suspect and he has since been arrested.
He can be questioned for up to 24 hours before he must either be charged or released form custody pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
It’s understood that the attacker also injured himself during the assault and suffered a stab injury.
The suspect is an Irish national and at this stage there is no indication that he was known to the victim, leading detectives to believe it was a random attack.
The woman is currently being treated for stab wounds and will also undergo an examination at a Sexual Assault Treatment Unit.
In a statement a garda spokesman said: “Gardaí are currently at scene of an ongoing incident that occurred at a residential property on Maine Street, Tralee this morning Thursday 14th March, 2024.
“At approximately 9.30am, emergency services alerted Gardaí of an alleged assault of a woman. The woman, aged in her 20s has been taken to University Hospital Kerry to be treated for her injuries.
“The scene is currently preserved and investigations are ongoing.”
Gardaí added that one male has “since been arrested and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 and at a Garda station in the Kerry Division.”
