TEENS ARRESTED OVER ASSAULT ON OAP’S[

GARDAI probing the mugging of two women in Macroom are to liaise with the National Juvenile Office with a view to sending a file to the DPP after releasing without charge two juveniles arrested for questioning about the attack.

Detectives arrested two 16 year old youths in the Macroom area on Tuesday morning for questioning about the mugging of a 91 year old woman and a friend in her 60s in the Castle Grounds in the town on September 17.

The two juveniles were arrested under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardai hold suspects for up to 24 hours before they have be released or charged.

One of the juveniles was brought to Macroom Garda Station for questioning while the other was taken to Bandon Garda Station, but they were both released without charge around 4.30pm on Tuesday afternoon.

A garda spokesman confirmed that gardai will now liaise with the National Juvenile Office which is part of the Community Relations Section of An Garda Siochana with a view to preparing a file for the DPP on the matter.

Meanwhile, it’s understood that the 91 year old victim of the robbery is making a good recovery, having been discharged from hospital 24 hours after admission and returning home to Macroom.

The attack happened as the two women were sitting on a park bench overlooking the River Sullane in the Castle Grounds when they were surprised from behind by two young assailants.

The youths grabbed a handbag belonging to one of the women and the 92 year old woman was knocked to the ground in the struggle before the youths fled with the handbag as a local man came to their aid and raised the alarm.

The incident shocked locals in Macroom and gardai appealed to the public for assistance in trying the track down the culprits, and they also began harvesting CCTV footage from around the town to try and identify those responsible.

It’s understood that gardai made good progress in their investigation over the past few days, both from examining CCTV footage and from a number of witness statements that they have taken.

They also located the woman’s stolen handbag, which was found near Macroom Golf Club after it was thrown away by the thieves, who took some cash, bank cards and a mobile phone from it.

Gardai are hoping that a technical examination of the handbag may provide some DNA evidence or other forensic evidence which would assist them in their investigation of the crime which they believe was opportunistic.