Warning af ter girl, 13, is dragged into woodland and raped
POLICE yesterday issued a warning for people to be on their guard after a girl was dragged into woodland, punched and raped. The 13-year-old was assaulted after she had parted company with her friends in Ladywell Park in Bannockburn, Stirlingshire.
Officers believe her attacker – a hooded stranger – knew the area and last night increased patrols in the vicinity as forensic investigations continued.
Detective Inspector Stephen Morris, leading a team hunting the assailant, described the ‘shocking incident’ last Saturday.
The attack happened between 6.30pm and 7pm last Saturday but was only made public on Thursday after the girl built up sufficient confidence to tell her parents, who reported it to police.
Mr Morris said: ‘This 13-year-old girl was with her friends. She separated from them to go to a local shop to buy some juice.
‘She has reported to us that while she was separated from her friends she was approached from behind and dragged into a secluded wooded area, where she was subjected to a serious sexual assault.’
Mr Morris said the teenage victim had said her attacker was well spoken.
He added: ‘The description she provided was that her attacker was male, 5ft 4in tall, wearing a dark hooded top with the hood up, and some other dark item of clothing covering the lower part of his face.
‘He was wearing gloves and distinctively dirty grey trainers.’
Speaking outside Stirling police station, Mr Morris confirmed the girl did not know her attacker – described as ‘skinny’ – and it was unclear whether he was an adult, a young person, or a child.
Asked if the assault could be described as a ‘stranger rape’, he replied: ‘Yes, it’s an unknown attacker.
‘This type of incident is rare, not only in Stirling, but also rare nationally. We don’t know if it’s a local man, or somebody from outwith the area.
‘All we know is that after the attack the man left and has not been traced.’
However, he added it was ‘likely’ that the attacker, who punched the girl in the face before raping her, had some knowledge of the area.
Mr Morris said the victim ‘had provided as much information as she was able to provide given the traumatic experience she was subjected to at the time’.
He added: ‘There are a number of youths assisting us with our inquiries who may have been in the park at the time.’
Last night, police carried out ‘high-visibility reassurance patrols’ in the park and wider area as well as continuing a ‘thorough forensic examination of the scene’.
Mr Morris said anyone with information could approach officers and also warned people to be on their guard.
He added: ‘We would encourage people to go about their normal business, but also to take any necessary precautions and be aware of their personal safety while they are out and about in public areas.’
Detective Chief Inspector Gary Boyd said: ‘This has been an absolutely terrifying ordeal for the victim.
‘This is an area that is popular with groups of young people and I would urge anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area of Ladywell Park to please get in touch.’
‘Terrifying ordeal for the victim’