Boy punched and robbed outside leisure centre

The boy was waiting in the entrance of Rotherham Leisure Centre between 5.40pm and 6.20pm last Thursday, November 30.

He was approached by a boy who engaged him in a conversation and asked for money, a spokeswoman said.

The victim began walking away, but his attacker followed and kept talking to him — before punching him in the face and taking a quantity of cash.

The boy sustained minor injuries in the incident and was left “very upset” by the attack, a police spokeswoman said.

Officers want to speak with parents and children who may have witnessed the attack.

PC Rebecca Rushton said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a young boy by someone of a similar age.

“I’m sure any parent would hate for this to have happened to their child and I would urge anyone who may have been in the leisure centre around the time of the incident to please report it.”

The boy has been described as around the same age as the 11-year-old and wearing a leather jacket with a hooded top underneath.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police on 101, quoting incident number 825 of November 30.