Students are warned over attacks in Tralee

Third-level students at the institute of technology in Tralee, Co Kerry, are being advised not to walk alone at night and to …

Third-level students at the institute of technology in Tralee, Co Kerry, are being advised not to walk alone at night and to keep their mobile phones fully charged, after a series of sexual assaults in the town in recent months.

One of the attacks took place in June, two in September and one last week.

Student services manager Dick Carmody said the latest victim was not a student at the college, but college management had been approached by the student union.

He said the college had already put in place a series of guidelines after consultation with the Garda and the Kerry Rape Crisis Centre. It had decided to reinforce the message in the light of recent concern.

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The advice to the 3,000 student population has been placed on high-visibility plasma screens throughout the college.

Students are asked to take reputable taxi services, to advise friends of their whereabouts and if possible to remain with friends after leaving a social occasion.

The college wanted to avoid creating unnecessary alarm, Mr Carmody said.

There have been four attacks of a sexual nature in Tralee in recent months. Two of the attacks occurred in daylight. The victims include a middle-aged woman out walking, a teenage girl, a young man and a serious sexual assault last Wednesday on a young woman in the early hours.

Gardaí do not believe this latest attack is connected to the previous attacks.

Two teenagers from Co Kerry were arrested on Friday on suspicion of rape and were questioned in relation to this latest alleged serious assault. They were released later and a file is being sent to the DPP. Further arrests are pending, gardaí have said.