Gardaí investigate after child's face licked by old man in Clonakilty 

The mother thought the old man just wanted to say hello to her child. However, he bent down and licked the child’s face. File picture. 

Gardaí in West Cork are investigating an unusual incident where an elderly man approached a young child on a street in Clonakilty and bent down to lick the face of the youngster.

The mother of the child raised the alarm following the bizarre incident on the main street in the town on Saturday afternoon.

Gardaí arrived at the scene where the mother of the child told them she was approached by an elderly man who was nicely dressed. The man was not known to her.

The mother thought the man just wanted to say hello to her child. However, he bent down and licked the child’s face.

Gardaí spoke to a number of people who were on the street. 

They also accessed CCTV footage from business security cameras.

A file on the incident is set to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).