Get all the very latest news in Dublin straight to your email every single day Sign Up! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Gardai who are investigating a spate of alleged sexual assaults in west Dublin have arrested a suspect they believe could be linked to the attacks.

The suspect is understood to currently be in custody and is being quizzed on an unrelated offence.

Gardai are currently investigating a possible link between an alleged sexual assault last Friday in Hartstown and three similar attacks in the Manorfields area of Clonee over a two month period, the Herald reports.

Two of the Clonee attacks are understood to have happened in May, while a third was carried out in early June.

In all of the attacks a young woman was sexually assaulted by a lone male, when the suspect groped the victims before fleeing the scene.

An incident room has been set up at Blanchardstown Garda station and a number of people of interest are understood to have been identified by gardai.

Although a man has been questioned in relation to the assaults, no charges have been made.

Uniformed patrols in certain areas are being increased in an effort to ensure a high-visibility garda presence.

There has been an increase in the number of sexual assault offences reported in Blanchardstown and surrounding areas (Clondalkin and Lucan) in recent years.

There were 146 rapes and sexual assaults recorded in 2015, while 166 were reported in 2017.