Rape of 12-year-old girl under investigation

GARDAÍ were last night investing the rape of a 12-year-old girl in Glenbeigh, Co Kerry.

The young girl was sexually assaulted during the early hours of Tuesday morning.

It’s understood the girl was raped in her own home close to the village.

The girl was found in a distressed state after midnight on Tuesday and was immediately taken to Tralee General Hospital.

An official complaint was made to gardaí later on Tuesday morning and a full investigation launched.

It’s unclear if there were any members of the girl’s family in the house when the attack happened.

Gardaí from Caherciveen and Killorglin have already questioned a number of people in connection with the attack.

Gardaí spent yesterday carrying out house-to-house inquiries in Glenbeigh, but there have been no arrests.

Superintendent Pat O’Sullivan last night appealed to any members of the public with information on the attack to come forward.

Meanwhile, there is mounting concern among parents in nearby Killorglin as gardaí began investigating a number of child sex abuse complaints.

Sergeant Ted Murphy revealed an investigation has been launched.

“Our obligation is to the children involved, we don’t want to jeopardise it,” he said.

It is thought the investigation is examining complaints from a number of children.

And the windows in a local authority house in the town were smashed in last week. The occupier of the house has since fled the country.

Kerry mayor Michael Healy-Rae last night revealed that he was been briefed by the housing department of Kerry County Council on the matter.

He said this is every parent’s “worst nightmare” and several people have expressed their worries to him in recent days.

“There is widespread worry among parents.

“Our main concern now is for the welfare of the children,” he said.

The Glenbeigh rape and the Killorglin sex abuse complaints are not linked, gardaí said.