Gardaí in Dublin are investigating the apparent attempted kidnapping of a child in the north inner city. A man was arrested at the scene of the incident in the Sheriff Street area shortly after midday on Thursday.
While the investigation into the incident is at an early stage it is understood the mother of the child was in the process of leaving her home and had momentarily left the child in a pushchair at the front of the house.
While her back was briefly turned, it appears a man arrived on the scene and engaged with the two-year-old. Gardaí believe he spoke to the child and are investigating reports he also picked up the infant. He was spotted by other local people, who shouted at him, and when he tried to walk away he was held at the scene until gardaí arrived.
An Garda Síochána has confirmed a criminal investigation was now under way and that the suspect, who is in his 20s, had been arrested. Garda sources said investigators were keen to speak to the man to hear his version of accounts. They were also checking his personal background.
In reply to queries, Garda Headquarters said gardaí from Store Street station responded “to an incident in the Sheriff Street area of Dublin 1″ shortly after noon.
“A man, aged in his late 20s, was arrested at the scene for an alleged offence under the Non-Fatal Offenses Against the Person Act, 1997, and is currently detained at a Garda station in the Dublin Region under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. An Garda Síochána is currently investigating and verifying the details of this incident.”
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Find The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis
