Join the manhunt for the man who attacked these little girls

Massive search underway for the man who attacked two young sisters in broad daylight

The search has been widened for the man, now considered a serial sex offender, who attacked two little girls on a family picnic on Thursday.

The girls’ family were at a picnic at Campbell Hill Pioneer Reserve in Guildford in Sydney’s south west at 1.30 on Thursday afternoon, when the sisters, aged 6 and 2, went to use the women’s toilets, located just 100 metres away from where their family were sitting. That’s when their worst nightmare came true.

Detective Acting Superintendent Peter Yeomans said the girls are very distressed, as are their family. "The little 6-year-old is still very upset by what has occurred. The little 2-year-old when it did occur was very upset, was crying but they are receiving counseling through various counseling services at the Westmead children's hospital."

He said they were followed into the toilet block by the man, who then sexually assaulted the older girl and indecently assaulted the younger girl.

It's now emerged the girls have told detectives they were in the toilet for "a considerable amount of time".

"But, bear in mind, children's conception of time is quite different to that of an adult's," Supt Yeomans said. "[The family] are very good parents. It's the middle of the day, it's school holiday time, there are plenty of people around," he said.

"It's a harrowing experience for the family. They are very deeply stressed by what has occurred to them and to their children."

The girls' auntie has spoken out about her beloved nieces. "They are beautiful, happy, bubbly little girls, never whingeing, always smiling,"  she said. "I couldn't imagine what their parents are going through. When I heard about it, the hair stood up on the back of my neck. I was horrified."

Now the hunt has been widened for the man who the police are now concerned may have attacked before and will again. Strike Force Sandyman has been established, but so far an air and ground search has failed to find him.

Detective Acting Superintendent Peter Yeomans told Macquarie Radio that the family is devastated for their girls. "The parents involved in this are absolutely devastated and so is the immediate family. It's horrific, what has happened to them.''

Guildford is a close-knit community of families. It was no surprise that a large group of angry residents gathered outside the popular park.

Detective Yeomans said police need the help of the public to track this guy down. "There were a number of people at that park at the time who may or may not have seen something and anything that they did see or they may have filmed something, we are asking them to come forward and contact their local area command or Crime Stoppers."

Can you help police find this man?

What makes this even more frightening is that police now think this man has been seen there before. Local resident Marina Smith-Thorne from Chester Hill told police that she'd seen a man of similar appearance walking out of the toilets at the park while she entered with her sons. That was in October last year.

"I wish I'd said something at the time. I was walking into the women's toilet with my two little­ boys when I saw him walking out and I thought 'What's he doing in the women's toilet?' news.com.au reports her saying. "He just sheepishly walked out. At the time I didn't think anything of it.

"I just heard the description on the news and said to my husband, 'That sounds exactly like the man I saw'.''

The reality is that this probably wasn't this man's first sexual assault and it certainly won't be his last.

* In an unrelated incident, a 70-year-old man has been charged after another attempted child sexual assault, this time on a five-year-old boy in a Manly, Sydney, toilet block on Friday. The boy's mother was waiting outside.

If you have any information at all please call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000.

Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800

Adults Surviving Child Abuse: 1300 657 380

Images courtesy of Sky News

Will this incident stop you letting your children use public toilets?