General Chat

Did anyone read in the paper today regarding the Pedophile attacking two young boys aged 4&7in the toilets at McDonalds, while their parents remained at their table.

It was several days before they told their parents, then only because the mother suggested they go again to the restraunt for a treat.

Is that a senario that would enter your head when your 7 year old paid a visit to the gents,especially in an eating establishment.

What a dreadful thing to have happened, being a mum/nan it would be my worst nightmare.

I think quite a few parents would in a place like Macdonalds, and the parent's table was right by the toilet door. I don't think you can blame the parents really, rather blame the system that let this eveil man out only half way through his sentence without assesssing him to be a dangerous predator. Poor little lads, and they said nothing for 3 days, until their Mum wanted to take them for a treat to the same Macdonalds. What an evil man.

I think it is wrong that children cant go to the toiett on their own but I always went with both of mine, the eldest being a girl wasnt so difficult but even when my Son was too old to come in the Ladies I stood outside the gents and waited for him and still do now and he is at Comprehensive School.

You can never be too careful. and I feel so sorry for the two little boys.

Teresa

Poor lads and their parents must be so shocked and upset. I imagine this is extremely rare and also I would think and hope something quite minor? I do hope so.

Joan............I am unable to imagine what those poor parents must have gone through and are probably still going through now. I for one would not have thought for 1 minute that my sons at that age would have been in any danger on entering a toilet in McDonalds.

What really tugs at the heart strings as well as the obvious, is for whatever reasons they decided not to mention anything of the incident on arriving back to their table.

Who on earth saw fit to let this evil piece of nothing out on license after he was locked up for similar offences.

Uggers.............the 7 year old was raped, and the 4 year old sexually assaulted.

Just a quick comment. It is not the parents' fault. It is the fault of the people who commit these crimes.

Our children, whatever their age, should be safe to live their lives without trouble.

We should all be able, if we choose, to live our lives without being attacked.

With reference to the recent sad stories on the news (OH is confused as to who was killed when and where) our daughters should be safe enough to go out with their friends. The perpetrators are the ones to blame.

Helen.........I could not agree more, it is very easy in hindsight to say I would not have etc...........I have been putting myself in the same situation as the parents.........and can honestly say the thought of this evil low life going into the toilets in a very public place after my child would not have entered my head.

Did all the parents who placed their child in several nursery locations that have been in recent news articles for 1 min think that there were dangerous people working within...........No!

Gawd, I worked in a Nursery for 11 years. We were so careful to look after the children, two staff at all times everywhere, never on your own with the children, even in the toilets, etc etc. Visitors never to be left alone, and so on.

It was all for the children's safety and it was appreciated, all of us knew the children were very safe. I once kept an aunty waiting for 35 minutes while we verified her identity as Mum had not said this person was collecting.

But as I said before, it is the wrongdoers who are to blame. Not the parents. We try to protect our children but the truth is we should not have to worry about bad people like this. They should have been removed from society before they became a problem.

The parents aren't to blame. FGS you SHOULD be able to allow your children into a public toilet unassisted in a fast food restaurant...what sort of world do we live in if we can't !

I absolutely blame the abuser and not for one second the parents.I also blame, to some extent, the namby pamby people who judged him to be fit to re enter society....

I will say no more ...I will get myself into trouble x

Muffy..........thats exactley how I am feeling at the moment!

We all know these people are out there, but we tend not to dwell on the fact 24/7......trying to make our children/grandchildren aware of the dangers without firghtening them too much.

This news item today just beggars belief, and this poor family have to live with the carnage he has caused. Again a too short prison sentence......they should throw away the key in my opinion!

Unfortiunately you don't know who the predators are. Even if you have access to the names of peoiple in your area (as part of a pilot scheme in some areas) there will still be many more out there you won't know about

Parents have to be very careful how they supervise their children but getting the balance right - allowing their children some freedom and idependence - must be very difficult. I suppose sadly there is always going to be some element of risk.

Vera

Gardaí investigating the discovery of a human arm on Dollymount Strand in Dublin last month have confirmed the limb is that of an Irish male.

The arm was found on the beach on February 8th. A Garda spokesman said the limb was identified using DNA analysis and the cooperation of Interpol. Gardaí are trying to contact family members.
___________________________
Update: The limb belonged to a convicted rapist - who, apparently, is still at large.

The parents are not to blame and OMG them poor kids

BUT the question is who do you allow a child to go to the public toilets alone at the age of 7 any child is allowed in any public toilet but if this child is 8 or 9 would you then allow them to go alone

What a world we live in!!

Predatory paedophiles lurk in places where there are likely to be unsupervised children. The loos in cafes like MacD's and those in ordinary parks and theme parks would be obvious choices.

That's where parents need to be most on their guard. I wouldn't have let children that young go to the loo on their own in any of those places. But maybe I'm a bit more savvy than those poor parents. I hope it has put other parents on their guard.

Gwynne

And we also need to remember that most sexual abuse is carried out by people known to the children. Stranger danger is very rare.

Gwynne

Gwynne has said what I was thinking reading this thread. A child is more likely to be abused by a family member/friend of family than a stranger.

i have no words,

my heart goes out to the children and parents x