Gardaí fear sex attack motive for break-in
The man put his hand over the mother’s mouth when she woke up, but she managed to push him away and started screaming.
“It was a terrifying experience for her and for her daughter,” a senior garda spokesman said.
The intruder fled when the mother began screaming and neither she nor her daughter were physically harmed.
“We believe the motive in this case may have been sexual,” the spokesman added.
The intruder is believed to have gained entry to the house through the bathroom window.
Gardaí are appealing for the public’s help in catching the man, as he could strike again.
The incident took place in the village of Castletownroche, near Fermoy, Co Cork, early last Monday morning.
It is believed the intruder got into the woman’s house shortly before 1.50am.
Gardaí are anxious to speak to anybody who may have seen a man acting suspiciously in the area around that time, especially near the Mill, which is at the side of the main Fermoy-Mallow road.
Anybody with information is asked to contact Fermoy gardaí at 025-82100.
In a separate incident, gardaí are still looking for a handgun used by a teenage boy during an armed robbery on a fast-food restaurant in a Cork City suburb.
The youth, who is described by garda sources as “a juvenile”, is alleged to have threatened staff at Denny’s takeaway in Ballinlough before making off with a small amount of cash from the till.
The boy, who is believed to have an address on the north side of the city, was detained by gardaí a few minutes after he fled the takeaway.
He was taken to Togher Garda Station where he was questioned under Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
Gardaí are still looking for the weapon and are appealing to any member of the public who may spotted it in the vicinity of the takeaway to contact Togher or Douglas Garda Stations immediately.
The robbery took place at about 10.30pm on Tuesday.
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