Gardaí investigating a spate of attacks on women in Athlone have released a new image of the man suspected of carrying them out.
Gardai want to speak to this man
In the most recent attack, on Wednesday October 3rd, a woman was badly hurt by a the attack as she walked late at night near the Athlone Institute of Technology
In the early hours of September 23rd, another woman was attacked on the nearby Dublin Road at Bona Valley Bridge. She was grabbed from behind before being dragged to a secluded area and attacked.
A young woman was also attacked in the early hours of August 12th last, in an incident that was featured on the last Crimecallprogramme on RTÉ television. The three cases are set to be featured again on the programme tomorrow.
In the August case, the woman and her friend had left a nightclub shortly after 3am and made their way to Bunavalley Bridge where they waited for a taxi. The victim waited here while her friend went further into Athlone town in search of a taxi.
While alone, she was grabbed from behind and dragged into a nearby disused bus carpark. The man beat her violently leaving her with severe cuts and bruises to her face. She managed to fight him off, and he ran away.
Gardaí have declined to say if the women were sexually assaulted.
The Crimestoppers group is offering a reward of €10,000 for information leading to arrest of the man believed to be responsible the three attacks.
Crimestoppers is to distribute posters and leaflets in English, Polish, Latvian and Lithuanian and with the suspect's description around Athlone from tomorrow.
The attacker is described as between 25 and 30 years, tall with short black hair and was wearing a dark top and jeans. Crimestoppers can be contacted free on 1800 25 00 25.
