News

'No motive' for random assaults on school kids

By Tim Harris
January 30, 2013

A STRANGER randomly assaulted at least six children as they were walking to school in Farnborough last Friday (January 25).

Police said there appeared to be no motive for the attacks, which all happened in the space of half-an-hour in the Cove area.

In the first incident at around 8.15am, a 14-year-old girl was walking in Minley Road when a man grabbed her arm and swore at her, before pushing her into a bush.

The attacker then confronted a boy, also aged 14, who was walking in Fernhill Road. The victim in this case was slapped across the face.

The third incident took place under the railway bridge at West Heath Roundabout, where the man also slapped a 14-year-old girl across the face.

Shortly afterwards, near the Potters Arms pub in Cove Road, the offender approached a 13-year-old girl and grabbed her hat. He swore at the youngster and then pushed her.

Another incident happened in the same road, opposite the Jenner House Surgery, where the man walked into a girl, also aged 13, and pushed her into a holly bush.

The attack took place near Cove Brook, where a 14-year-old boy was approached by the man, shouted at and then punched in the stomach.

The suspect was described as a white man, aged in his 40s, of a large or "chubby" build and between 5ft 7in and 6ft tall.

He was wearing a black woolly hat and had ginger hair sticking out at the bottom. He was unshaven and may have had a "hooked" nose.

The man was thought to have had a local accent and was wearing a large blue raincoat, dark or tan coloured baggy trousers and black woolly gloves. He may also have been wearing a hooded top underneath his coat.

"There does not appear to be any motive or provocation for this man’s behaviour," said PC Daniel Eaves.

"Given the time of day it is hoped there may be witnesses to these incidents as people would have been going to work and school.

"Fortunately none of the teenagers sustained serious injuries, but they were understandably shaken by these incidents."

Anyone with information is asked to call Hampshire police on 101 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

For more on this story, see this week's News & Mail, out on Thursday, January 30.

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