Fears rapist will strike again

Gardaí fear a man may be on the prowl for a new victim, a year after he savagely raped a young mother in her home.

The man, who posed as a television service man and had a fake identify card stating he worked for the NTL cable company, subjected the woman to a terrifying ordeal during which she was tied up, gagged, raped repeatedly and videotaped while her three-month-old baby slept in another room.

Her evil attacker then forced her to take a bath to wash away forensic evidence before tidying himself up and walking coolly out of her front door, asking for a head start of just five minutes to make his getaway before she raised the alarm.

Gardaí believe the man selected his victim deliberately, studied her routine and planned every detail of his actions before carrying out the attack in broad daylight in a housing estate in the south Dublin suburb of Dundrum between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Monday, March 31 last year. He brought cable which he used to tie up the woman, a mask with which he covered his face, surgical gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints, a camcorder, a knife and other items which he carried in a Superquin bag.

Gardaí renewed their appeal for assistance from the public after drawing a blank in their investigations despite the detailed description given by the victim, which enabled artists to compile a close likeness of the culprit.

They believe the rapist took his time plotting his crime and is so calculating that he will have been content to wait after last year’s attack before seeking out another victim.

Detective Inspector Martin Cummins of Dundrum said detectives had never come across a case like this before. “This was so methodical and well-planned that there is a danger that this man will attack again. The public needs to have him arrested.”

The man is described as being about 40, 5’8” or 5’9” in height and of average to slim build. He had a full head of shortish wavy hair, dark in colour but going grey and he had about two days’ beard growth.

He had a weathered complexion and sagging skin around his eyes and he spoke with a mild Dublin accent. At the time of the attack he was wearing a light-coloured short zip-up jacket, plain blue shirt, lilac tie, navy trousers and dark shoes.

He also had a utility belt with two pouches of the kind genuine workmen use for small tools and he wore distinctive oversized, ill-fitting glasses which he may have used for disguise.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the incident room at Dundrum Garda Station at 01- 6665611 or the garda confidential line at 1800-666111.