A garda has been arrested and suspended from duty on suspicion of indecently assaulting a woman last week, The Irish Times has learned.
The young garda, who is believed to be a probationary member of the force, was arrested in Co Galway in the early hours of last Wednesday morning on suspicion of indecently assaulting the victim.
It is understood the garda did not know the woman. One source said the incident did not occur in the context of a date.
The garda was believed to be driving in his car near University College Galway when he is alleged to have got out of the vehicle and chased after two women, aggressively groping one of them in an apparent random attack.
He fled the scene but was arrested a short distance away.
The trainee garda was suspended from duty on Thursday, and the matter was referred by Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission.
The Garda is conducting a criminal investigation into the incident, while the Ombudsman Commission is conducting its own separate investigation.
While the alleged attack took place in Galway, the garda at the centre of the case is based in Leinster and is originally from the Midlands.
