Gardai investigating alleged assault in Athlone church

An investigation is continuing into what a Garda spokesperson described as an alleged assault on a woman on the west side of Athlone last Friday morning.

The woman required hospitalisation after the incident which, it's understood, happened in the Corpus Christi Church, at Connaught Gardens, after 11am.

A spokesperson for the Garda press office said today that, as a result of the incident, a woman in her 30s was brought to the Midland Regional Hospital in Tullamore for the treatment of serious injuries.

"A man, aged in his 60s, was arrested at the scene and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Westmeath," said the Garda spokesperson.

"He has since been released without charge and a file will be prepared for the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions."

Gardai said their investigation into the matter was ongoing.