Man throws substance at schoolgirls

Date published: 03/02/2010

An image of a man police want to speak to in connection with a number of assaults in Bury has been released.

At 3.20pm on Friday 13 November 2009, a 14-year-old girl was walking along Kennedy Drive, Unsworth, after getting the bus home from school.

A man followed her down a ginnel, asked her for the time and was standing uncomfortably close to her.

When she arrived at home, she noticed a sticky liquid on the back of her tights.

Between 8.05am and 8.20am on Monday 7 December 2009, a 15-year-old schoolgirl was walking along with her sister and was approached from behind by a man on Ostrich Lane, Prestwich.

She felt a liquid on the back of her tights and the man walked off between her and her sister and away from the girls.

Also between 8.05am and 8.20am that day, another 15-year-old girl walked past a man who turned around and followed her on to St Mary's Road.

Just after 4pm on Thursday 17 December 2009, a 14-year-old girl was in a shop on Mill Gate, Bury, with her mother when a man bumped into her and wiped a white substance on her bottom.

About 2pm Friday 18 December 2009, a man followed two 13-year-old girls on Bury Old Road, Besses, near to the M60 in Prestwich.

Shortly before 9am on Monday 25 January 2010, a man approached two girls, aged 15 and 16, on Pinfold Lane, Whitefield, and asked them the time. As they walked away one of the girls noticed liquid dripping from her skirt.

In each incident, the offender was described as being a white man, aged between 25 and 35 and was carrying a bag. On a couple of occasions, he was wearing a hat, possibly with earflaps.

Detective Inspector Lynne Vernon, From Bury CID, said: "We have six separate incidents and do not know the motivation behind them - while we do not want people to be frightened unnecessarily, we are taking these reports seriously.

"None of the victims was physically harmed in anyway but this is still a disgusting act and the person responsible must be caught.

"I'd ask people to take a good look at this image and if you know anything about this man, please contact us. He is not necessarily connected to all of the incidents but we would like to speak to him as part of our inquiries"

Anyone with information is asked to call Bury CID on 0161 856 8150 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.