Appeal after girl (11) allegedly followed home by man in balaclava in Meath

Louise Walsh

A worried mother has issued an appeal for information after her 11-year-old daughter was allegedly followed by a man in a balaclava.

Andrea Dunphy said her young daughter is now terrified to walk to and from school after the reported incident on Friday afternoon in Trim, Co Meath.

Her daughter was so scared by the incident that she does not want her name mentioned publicly in case the man learns it.

The young girl was walking home to the Knightsbrook Estate after school, between 2:30pm and 2:45pm when she noticed a man looking at her strangely.

"My daughter started walking faster and said he also did so she began walking and jogging and he started to jog after her", said Andrea.

"She ran to her friend's house because it was closer than her own and thankfully her friend's dad opened the door.

"He drove her around the estate to see if they could spot him but he was gone.

"She is terrified to even go outside on her own and I have to get her lifts now to school, whereas before this she was so independent and loved hopping on her bike.

"I'm trying to think of the positive scenarios so I hope this was a joke or some kind of mistake and hoping someone knows who he is."

The man is described as being extremely tall and wearing a black Montirex tracksuit which was zipped up to his chin.

He was also allegedly wearing a black, puffy North Face jacket, black gloves and runners and a ski mask or balaclava over his face.

"We’ve filed a report with the gardaí and they took her statement," she added

"Please mind your babies out there because even school home time in the day isn’t safe to let them walk home."

In a statement, gardaí said they received a report of an alleged incident in Trim, Co Meath, on Friday, February 6th, at about 3:15pm and that enquiries into the matter are ongoing.