Gardaí appeal for witnesses after sexual assaults in Sligo

Gardaí in Sligo have appealed for witnesses to three separate sexual assaults in the town last weekend.

Two women escaped an attempted sexual assault and a third was sexually assaulted, all within an hour of each other on Saturday morning last.

The first incident occurred when a woman in her 30s answered a knock to the door of her home in Sligo town at approximately 3am.

A man forced his way in and tried to assault her but the woman managed to overpower her assailant, who then fled the scene.

Some 20 minutes later, a second woman, this time in her 20s, was returning to her apartment when she was confronted by a man who also tried to assault her.

The man left after two people nearby saw the commotion and ran to her assistance.

In the third and most serious incident, a woman in her 30s was followed into her home in Sligo town between 3am and 4am on Saturday morning by a man who sexually assaulted her.

He was described as between 5 foot 7 and 5 foot 8 in height, in his 20s, and dressed in black clothing.

All three women are believed to have been living and working in Sligo. They have been interviewed by detectives and the scenes have been technically examined for clues.

None of the women knew her attacker.