Gardaí appeal for witnesses following ‘heinous and reprehensible’ incident in Charleville in which child was hospitalised

A 12-year-old girl is in a serious condition in hospital after her home in North Cork was attacked during what has been described as a “heinous and reprehensible” incident.

It’s understood a group of about five men, all wearing balaclavas, arrived at a house on the New Line in Charleville on Monday night and damaged a car outside the residence before proceeding to damage the front door of the house where there was a mother and young children inside.

The 12-year-old girl was injured during the course of the incident.

It is understood the men fled the scene in a vehicle and that gardaí are currently trying to establish the type and make of vehicle and the direction in which they travelled.

It is believed the incident may be linked to a feud involving families in Cork and Limerick.

In a statement, a spokesperson for An Garda Síochána said gardaí were alerted to a disturbance at a residence on the New Line at approximately 11:30pm and attended the scene.

“Considerable criminal damage to a vehicle and house was observed,” the spokesperson said.

“A female child was transferred from the scene by ambulance services to Cork University Hospital.

“She has since been transferred to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street in what is described as a serious but stable condition.” 

The scene of the incident was preserved and a technical examination has since been conducted by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit.

The Garda Superintendent overseeing the investigation, Superintendent Gary McPolin, described the incident as “heinous and reprehensible” and implored anyone with information to come forward.

“We’re appealing for CCTV [footage], dash-cam [footage], independent witnesses to come forward,” he told The Echo.

“It’s heinous and reprehensible that this should happen to a young child inside in the private environs of their home.” 

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to come forward or who may have been in the vicinity of the New Line area on Monday, August 19, between 10.30pm and 12am.

Additionally, any persons with camera footage, including dash-cam footage, from the area at the time are encouraged to provide it to investigating gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station at 022 31450, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.

In the wake of the incident, councillors in the Kanturk-Mallow Municipal District, which takes in Charleville, moved to support the appeal for witnesses.

Fine Gael councillor Liam Madden said he was “shocked” to hear of the incident, urging anyone with information to contact the Gardaí.

This was echoed by his party colleague councillor John Paul O’Shea who said he wished to offer his “full support” to investigating Gardaí and hoped that the perpetrators would be brought to justice swiftly.