Police investigating alleged sexual assault 'by well-known Irish sportsman' in Dublin hotel

Woman in 20s tells Gardai she was sexually assaulted in city centre during early hours of Monday morning

A woman has alleged she was raped by an Irish sports star in Dublin city centre (Rex Features)

Irish police are investigating an allegation that a “well-known” sportsman sexually assaulted a young woman in a Dublin city centre hotel.

A woman in her 20s told officers she had been attacked in the early hours of Monday morning.

The alleged attacker, reported to be a major Irish star, has not been arrested or interviewed by police. Officers could speak to him on Tuesday, according to Irish media.

“This is a very sensitive case and Gardai will be working on it all night,” a senior police source told the Irish Independent.

The sexual assault is alleged to have taken place between midnight and 2am at a hotel in the Dublin 2 district, in the south side of the city centre, where the woman had been socialising.

The woman reportedly told Gardai she had also been beaten during the course of the assault. She was treated at Dublin’s Rotunda Hospital.

A police spokesman told The Independent: “Gardai at Pearse Street, Dublin 2 are investigating an alleged sexual assault on a female which occurred in Dublin 2 in the early hours of Monday, 10 December, 2018.

“No arrests have been made and investigations are continuing.”