Gardaí claim to have caught ‘serial rapist’

GARDAÍ believe they have caught a serial rapist suspected of assaulting at least four women over recent months.

The breakthrough follows a major investigation by gardaí across Dublin’s inner city into a string a violent sexual assaults on women in the area.

Detectives suspect the 23-year-old man may have raped more women than the three-to-four that have so far been confirmed. They hope DNA tests will link the man to a number of other serious sexual assaults.

“There are three to four cases that we know this fellow was definitely involved in. The exact number we don’t know. There may be others, but we are awaiting DNA evidence on each of the others,” said a garda source.

The suspect, a foreign national, was caught earlier this week at Heuston Station by investigating gardaí attached to Kevin Street Station and was questioned.

The first known report linked to the suspect was four months ago.

On Saturday, February 7, a woman was subjected to a serious sexual assault on Conyngham Road, near Phoenix Park, in the north inner city, sometime between 5.30am and 6.30am.

Detectives attached to Kevin Street and Kilmainham Street stations immediately began a hunt for the attacker.

At the end of February senior gardaí took the unusual step of releasing photographs of the suspect.

The photographs were taken from a CCTV camera near the area where the incident took place.

The man was described as being 5.8ft-5.9ft in height with black hair and a tanned complexion.

He was wearing a sleeveless, dark V-neck jumper which might have had a stripe or writing across the chest, a pale, long sleeved shirt/top and jeans.

At the time gardaí said they suspected the man was a foreign national.

The suspect struck again on Sunday, May 23, when he jumped on a woman in her 20s as she entered her home in Synge Street, in the south inner city and proceeded to rape her.

A violent sexual assault on another woman took place last Saturday in an apartment in Jervis Street, in the north inner city. The 23-year-old woman was taken to hospital and gardaí at Store Street Station launched an investigation.

A joint investigation between Store Street and Kevin Street stations was set up once detectives identified similarities based on descriptions of the attackers from each of the women.

Gardaí yesterday said they expect serious charges to be brought against the man in the coming days and weeks.

Anyone with information can contact Kevin Street Garda Station at 01-6669400, Kilmainham Garda Station at 01-6669700 or Store Street Station at 01-6668000. Alternatively they can ring the garda confidential line on 1800-666-11.