Police appeal after man grabbed girl, 10, on busy street

A MOTHER has relived the terrifying moment a stranger grabbed her 10-year-old daughter as they walked along a busy Coventry street.

The unsavoury incident came as the mum and her little girl were on their way back from a shopping trip and walking along Foleshill Road on Friday afternoon (April 3).

The man grabbed the daughter and the mum reacted by getting her mobile phone out to catch the culprit on camera. She says she has “no idea what this man’s intentions were” and her daughter was left “scared” by what happened. After taking her daughter straight home, the mum immediately rang West Midlands Police who are now investigating.

The mother, who did not wish to be named, said: “I decided that as it was sunny and me and my daughter have been stuck in through it being a lockdown, I figured instead of driving to Tesco to get our shopping, we would walk.

“Not only would I get my shopping done but that was our exercise.

“On the way back home we got to where Ribbon Court is on Foleshill Road where we were approached by a lone man standing with a Red Bull can.

“I didn’t know what he was going to do as he got closer and he then grabbed my 10-year-old daughter. My first thought was ‘what is going to do more damage me going for him or my camera?’, so I picked my camera.

“He grabbed my daughter but she managed to go under his arm.

“As he grabbed her I got my camera out and started to record him where he then started to shout as if he hadn’t done anything.

“There were a group of men by Sam Mini Market who were laughing and standing around.

“I am not sure if he was with them but they certainly did not care to help in anyway.

“I have no idea what this man’s intentions were but I am so glad that I went against what I naturally wanted to do and picked my camera out instead.

“My daughter was scared and for him to grab her on a main road in front of me in broad daylight, this behaviour is not okay.”

She added: “I am highly disappointed that this has happened and especially during lockdown and a pandemic of Covid19.

“What right does he have to grab anyone let alone a female aged 10.”

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “We were called to reports of a man grabbing at a 10-year-old girl as she walked with her mother on Foleshill Road in Coventry at about 1.30pm on Friday (3 April).

“The girl and her mother were not injured.

“Anyone with information can contact us on 101 or via Live Chat at www.westmidlands.police.uk or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Please quote crime reference number 20CV