Gardaí in Mullingar apprehended, questioned and arrested a man in relation to an alleged sexual assault that occurred close to Springfield Tunnel, Mullingar, early last week, and the latest reported incident has created additional concerns for Mullingar residents who have been safely using the Tunnel for years.
In the past year, local people have on several occasions expressed concerns over activities, particularly after daylight hours, in and close to the tunnel beneath the Royal Canal, which is a pedestrian link for people going from the Ginnell Terrace and Springfield housing estates to the town, and in the other direction. The lights put in place to illuminate the Tunnel have been extinguished several times, and there’s been reports of drug dealing in the area, though any such incidents are totally unconnected to the most recent reported incident.
It is alleged that a man, who is believed to be in his 40s, assaulted a woman between 5pm and 7pm on Monday evening, 9 April, at the Cusack Park side of Springfield Tunnel.
It is possible that the alleged assault may have continued through to the other side of the tunnel.
Gardaí confirmed that the reported incident is still under investigation and they are seeking information from anyone who was in the Springfield tunnel area or on the Canal Line Mullingar close to Springfield between 5pm and 7pm on Monday, 9 April to come forward and help them with their enquiries.
The man who was questioned has since been released and a file is being prepared for the DPP, we understand.
UPSET
Residents of Springfield, Mullingar are deeply upset at the latest incident at the Tunnel and are calling on the local authority to have CCTV installed in a bid to tackle what they see as an ongoing serious problem.
“A number of years ago there was a woman mugged in the same area and that created a lot of fear.
Unfortunately, this latest incident will only make things worse and people are now avoiding the Tunnel, especially in the evening,” one resident said.
Topic was informed the Gardaí conducted some enquiries locally and viewed cameras in some of the houses in a bid to establish as much information as they could, but residents now feel security measures need to be improved.
“It’s only a matter of time before someone gets seriously hurt. CCTV is now required and that would make people feel a lot safer. There was a time when Gardaí would be regularly seen patrolling the area on bikes, but that is no longer the case and during the dark evenings, people would avoid the Tunnel like the plague,” local people have told us.
“It’s just terrible what has happened, but for ordinary people it is a potential trap there and people are very concerned,” added the resident.
The Tunnel has always been used to access the town from the Springfield and Ginnell areas of Mullingar, but residents have become very wary of using it now due to this latest incident. Parents are also very concerned about children who use this route, lest any of them might be approached or assaulted.
