The Irish Mail on Sunday

Man in van exposed himself to girls, 12

- By Elaine Keogh

TWO mothers have spoken of their horror after their daughters were approached by a semi-naked man in a white van.

It also emerged another girl had a similar experience in the same town.

Gardaí say they are taking the reports ‘very seriously’.

The incident involving the two 12-year-olds took place near their homes in Trim, Co. Meath. Lisa O’Toole said her daughter Anna was on the New Haggard Road when the man pulled up in a white van. The girl said he lifted himself up from the seat and she could see he was not wearing any trousers or underwear.

‘She ran away. Her friend Bridget was coming down the street towards her. When the man in the van saw Bridget he turned the vehicle around and came back towards her and made a lewd suggestion.’

Ms O’Toole said the girls ran to her house and were ‘in an awful state’. She rang gardaí and posted the incident on Facebook.

Bridget’s mother, Majella Thompson, said: ‘When Lisa rang me to tell me I felt sick to my stomach.’

Another girl was approached in Newtown, Trim, around the same time – last Thursday at 4pm.

Gardaí have asked anyone with informatio­n to contact them on 046-9431222. The man is described as being in his thirties or forties with a round face and a goatee.

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