Child psychologists aid garda inquiry into sex attack on boy, four

CHILD psychologists are helping gardaí investigating a serious sexual assault on a four-year-old boy near his home over the weekend.

Officers are also hoping forensic and DNA evidence will assist in identifying the attacker.

Care workers from the North Eastern Health Board are treating the child after he was attacked in Dundalk, Co Louth, as psychologists and social workers talk to him in a bid to piece together as much as possible about the attack.

The incident took place shortly after 6pm last Friday in waste land between two estates in the Castletown area of Dundalk.

"Any assault like this is taken very seriously and a full team of seasoned detectives are working on it," a garda spokesperson said .

He said the attack was reported to gardaí by the boy's family at around 6.30pm, some 15-20 minutes after they discovered what had happened.

The boy has not yet been able to provide gardaí with any description of the man.

Door-to-door inquiries were immediately initiated in both areas by investigators, in the hope that someone saw the man and the direction he was heading.

Officers then contacted the NWHB in a bid to have the child's needs cared for.

"We have made arrangements to get the health board involved. Trained psychologists in proper surroundings may get more information and can talk to him properly," said the spokesperson.

He said that although the attack occurred while it was bright, when people would be out, the location was a wasteland and would not typically attract many people.

Detectives were yesterday evening carrying out detailed enquiries in the area, but as yet no details of the attacker have emerged.

The assault follows numerous attempted abductions or suspicious approaches to children in Dundalk in the last month.

Investigating officers know theidentity of the man who is suspected of carrying out these approaches and are trying to locate him.

Officers are keeping an open mind on possible links between these approaches and last weekend's assault.

"When we are putting different aspects together we might look to see if there are any connections with other incidents," the spokesman said.

He said the garda's new Pulse computer system was a great benefit in this regard as detectives could uncover similarities between crimes in terms of modus operandi, car used and location of crime.

Anyone with information on Friday's assault can contact Dundalk Garda Station at 052-22987.

ATTEMPTED ABDUCTIONS

August 15, 2002: A middle-aged man attempted to lure three girls into his car by waving cash at them along Shankill Road, Co Dublin.

But the three friends Jessica Doyle, 12, Emma Dunne, 13, and Lisa Smith, 12 ignored his attempts. He continued to drive alongside them in a new gold-coloured Fiat Punto but drove off after the girls turned a corner.

August 13, 2002: A man tried to lure two girls, aged 10 and 12, into a white van, probably a Ford Transit, near their home in Dundalk, Co Louth. The girls got away.

August 7, 2002: A man tried to lure two girls into a car in the Cedar Wood Park area of Dundalk.

He offered Kelly Mullen, nine, and Ciara Brady, 10, money if they helped him find his cat.

The same man is suspected of approaching another girl in the area earlier that day.

June 14, 2002: A 34-man-old Co Tipperary man was charged at Mullingar District Court with abduction and sexual assault of a 10-year-old girl on 11 June.

The Tullamore man, who could not be named for legal reasons, was remanded in custody.

December 26, 2001: A man in a black car tried to snatch a 10-year-old girl out walking with her friend in Cobh, Co Cork.

It followed the attempted abduction of a seven-year-old girl in Cobh the previous month.

November 14, 2001: An eight-year-old girl was found after being abducted the day before near her home in Moate, Co Westmeath.

Mary Joyce had been being bundled into a green "old style" Toyota Corolla car, with the letters OY in the registration, by a man in his 30s. She later managed to escape.

July 19, 2001: The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard how a man dressed as a priest tried to abduct four young girls by asking them to get into his car and help look for his dog on February 2, 1999, at a housing complex in Dublin's north inner city.