Report By Andrew Carey
PARENTS are again being warned that children are being inappropriately approached by strangers after school after a boy was followed by a man in the city. The latest incident comes following almost half a dozen reports in Limerick since the schools returned in September. Sergeant Brian Broderick the Crime Prevention Officer at Henry Street Garda Station told the Limerick Post that at 4.30pm last Thursday, a Garda who was on patrol spotted a middle-aged man walking with a young teenage boy on O’Connell Street.
“The man was carrying one of the schoolboy’s bags and the Garda approached and spoke to the man where he described the schoolboy as a ‘friend’ and that they had been friends for a number of months. He also stated that he sometimes walked the boy home from school.
Gardai also spoke to the boy separately and he stated that the man had engaged in some “inappropriate conversation”.
Sgt Broderick said that the Gardai on scene brought the boy home, unharmed, and spoke with his parents. However “the relationship and use of inappropriate conversation is a matter of concern and this incident is being investigated by the Gardaí from Henry Street.”
Parents are being asked to maintain their vigilance and to “speak to their children about approaches from strangers and also that they give clear instructions to their children that approaches of this type are not appropriate and that it is important that they report these incidents immediately to their parents, teachers or to another responsible adult.”
Gardaí should also be notified of any incident that either the child or their patents are concerned about.
