Gardaí investigating the alleged serious sexual assault of a child by a number of other children in Dublin last year have questioned five teenage boys.
The boys were arrested last Tuesday as part of an ongoing garda investigation.
They have since been released without charge pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The attack is alleged to have occurred in Dublin around this time last year after a schoolgirl went into the city and met up with a number of other children.
Gardaí believe the girl and the boys consumed alcohol before the serious sexual assault took place.
The girl spoke to a family member about the incident and gardaí were contacted.
The incident had been filmed and circulated. It is understood that the footage was also sent to the child.
Gardaí commenced a criminal investigation which is being led by a divisional Protective Service Unit that specialises in the investigation of sexual crime.
Detectives in these units are specially trained to lead complex and sensitive cases, such as this one where a child has made an allegation that she was seriously sexually assaulted by a number of other children.
The investigation has been ongoing for a year and gardaí have conducted searches, seized phones, taken statements, secured the social media footage as evidence and gathered CCTV from the area where the alleged attack took place.
Two days ago, five teenage boys were arrested and questioned in connection with the investigation.
They were interviewed by specialist garda child interviewers and evidence was put to them. All had access to legal advice and their parents and guardians.
They have now been released without charge pending a file to the DPP who will ultimately decide whether criminal charges will be preferred.
In a statement this afternoon, Garda Headquarters said that on 20 January 2026, five arrests were made in respect of this allegation.
All five people arrested and detained were questioned in respect of the alleged offence and have been released without charge, pending a file to the DPP.
Gardaí also pointed out that because the alleged perpetrators and victims are all juveniles, reporting restrictions under the Children's Act, 2001 in relation to the protection of juveniles apply.
