A former asylum seeker has been arrested in connection with the sexual assault of a young mother in front of her baby in an early morning attack.

The 25-year-old is being questioned by detectives about the terrifying incident at the woman's home in which she had a "miracle escape".

The predator had a car in place outside the south Dublin property to ensure a quick getaway. Details of the shocking incident in Walkinstown have only just emerged but sources told Independent.ie that the suspect was expected to be charged in the coming weeks.

He is a foreign national who has been in jail for a number of weeks in relation to other offences.

It can be now revealed that the young mother had a "miracle escape" when her attacker tried to break into her home while she was her minding her baby.

Gardai are investigating whether the suspect attempted to force his way into the property after randomly calling at the address.

The woman is believed to have answered the door to the man who then tried to force his way into her home.

Groping

She fought back but the attacker tried to drag the mother away from her home while "grabbing and groping" her.

Gardai are also looking into the possibility that the man may have had a car waiting outside the woman's house, which he could have been trying to drag her into.

"He attacked this woman but she bravely fought back. The big fear is that she was going to be taken away in a getaway car," a source said last night.

"It was a miracle escape for this young woman really.

"She suffered a horrendous ordeal but it could have been much worse.

"She could have been abducted in all reality."

The horrifying incident happened at an address in the residential area at 10am on Wednesday, April 12.

Gardai arrested a suspect in connection with the attack later that day.

The suspect is a former asylum seeker and is known to gardai for minor criminal offences. He is believed to have been homeless at the time of the alleged assault.

The Dublin-based suspect has been in custody since shortly after his arrest.

He is now an Irish citizen after coming here a number of years ago from an unnamed war-torn country.

Herald