GARDAÍ were last night continuing to question a man who was arrested in relation to the attempted abduction of a teenage girl in Co Offaly last week.
The 42-year-old man was arrested in the Tramore area of Co Waterford and taken to Tullamore Garda station for questioning.
The suspect – who is believed to be originally from the Athlone area in Co Westmeath – is being detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
Gardaí from Birr and Tullamore issued an appeal and launched a major investigation following the attempted abduction.
The 13-year-old girl was cycling 500m to a friend’s house when she was approached by a man driving a car-type white van on a rural road near Ferbane at 8.30pm on July 19th.
Having asked the girl for directions, the man opened the rear door of his van and attempted to drag her inside. A brief struggle ensued before the teenager escaped to a neighbour’s house and gardaí were alerted.
The incident occurred at the townland of Moyclare on the road to Clonlyon, off the Ferbane to Belmont Road about two kilometres outside Ferbane.
A day later gardaí issued a description of the suspect. He was described as middle aged, small in stature, with dark hair and wearing glasses.