Gardaí investigating the disappearance of 11-year-old Midleton schoolboy Robert Holohan have broadened their intensive inquiry from east Cork to all of Cork city and county. They have spoken to an estimated 50-plus registered sex offenders.
Although gardaí still stress that they have no specific evidence that Robert was abducted, they say that they can't rule it out. They've intensified their inquiries into the possibility that he was taken by someone from near his home last Tuesday.
Detectives began calling to registered sex offenders in the east Cork area, including Midleton and Cobh, on Thursday night and they have now extended their inquiry into north Cork, Cork city and west Cork.
"It's simply asking known offenders where they were last Tuesday when Robert went missing and then checking out their stories," said a Garda source. He added that these inquiries have to date turned up nothing to suggest that Robert was abducted.
Although there are an estimated 20 or so registered sex offenders in the Cork North division, which includes Midleton, there is none with any convictions for abducting and sexually assaulting children or adults.
"The register is up to date and those on it know their responsibilities. Most of those on it would have convictions for sexual assaults or sex abuse of young relatives or neighbours - there's no one in the area with any history of abducting children," said one source.
Nationally, detectives are also making enquiries of known offenders on the register of sex offenders, while Robert's photograph together with his description has been circulated to all airports and ferry ports.
Meanwhile, Robert's parents, Mark and Majella, attended a prayer vigil for his safe return in the Church of the Holy Rosary in Midleton yesterday which saw close to 1,000 people pray for the missing schoolboy.
Local curate Father Billy O'Donovan invited the couple up to the altar at the start of the service to light a candle of hope and afterwards the huge attendance joined with the Holohans in praying for Robert.
"Our vigil is a vigil of hope - the candle that was lit here tonight is a candle of hope that will keep burning here - our prayers are for Robert's safe return, our prayers are for Majella and Mark and all the family," said Father O'Donovan.
"Our prayers are also to thank God for all the goodness of everybody who's been involved in any way - the special services, the gardaí, the Army, the Civil Defence and the Red Cross and also for the thousands of volunteers who've helped with the search."
Earlier, prayers had been said at all Masses in Midleton for Robert's safe return and "to give his parents, his brother and sister and his grandparents strength in the days to come and for all those involved in the search that their labours not be in vain."
Yesterday, some 1,300 volunteers again joined some 200 gardaí and 150 Army and Defence Force Reserve personnel in searching rough terrain north of Robert's home at Ballyedmond where he disappeared on Tuesday afternoon.
And teams of detectives from Cork City and West Cork also joined the operation to clear a half-mile stretch of ditch between the East Cork Golf Club driving range and where Robert's bike was found at Carrigoghna, in a forensic search for clues.
On Saturday, some 700 volunteers joined the search operation.
