Manhunt under way after woman attacked out jogging

A MAJOR manhunt is under way after a jogger was attacked in a park in broad daylight in Co. Wicklow on Monday afternoon. The middle-aged woman ‘fought off’ her assailant who tried to ‘drag her into bushes’ while she was out jogging shortly after 3pm at Avondale Park in Rathdrum in Co. Wicklow.

Well-placed security sources say the attack was ‘shocking’ and if it ‘wasn’t for the woman’s physical strength’ the man ‘seemed intent’ on doing the victim serious physical and sexual harm.

The Irish Daily Mail understands that the 58-year-old woman, an avid jogger and fitness enthusiast, was caught ‘totally off guard’ by her assailant while running through Avondale Park and Forest in Rathdrum.

A couple, who were taking a walk through the park, heard the woman’s screams and went to the jogger’s assistance.

Gardaí were immediately notified. The attacker escaped and detectives at Rathdrum are currently searching for the man.

A senior source said: ‘This woman was out running, she is an avid jogger and very fit. It was the middle of the day and a man came out of nowhere and grabbed her from behind and tried to drag her into bushes.

‘Only for her own physical strength, she managed to fight him off. It was a horrific and entirely random attack.

‘She is understandably very shaken and sustained some minor physical injuries in the attack,’ the source said.

The victim has provided gardaí with a statement about her attack. Because the incident ‘happened so fast’, the woman did not get ‘a good look’ at her assailant.

However, gardaí are attempting to develop a sketch, or photofit, of the suspect, based on her memory of his appearance.

Investigating detectives at Rathdrum are also attempting to harvest CCTV from the locality, which could lead to the identification of the man.

However, it is understood that the area is not well covered by CCTV. Senior sources told the Mail there is a ‘high level of concern’ that this individual remains at large.

The source said: ‘This is a major concern. This man appears to be a real and present danger and a threat to women and the general public.

‘Gardaí want him found before he can try and carry out another attack. We are not in the business of scaremongering, but the random nature of what happened and his intent on causing serious harm to this woman is, to be honest, startling.

‘These kinds of random attacks are very rare. An Garda Síochána are well aware that random attacks like this pose a major concern and threat to wider society. A major investigation is under way.

‘It is a high priority to find this man. There is concern about this at a very senior level of An Garda Síochána,’ the source stated.