Brampton Bierlow sex attacks on children and teens "could be linked" - police

The latest incident in Brampton Bierlow happened last Thursday when a man reportedly grabbed an eight-year-old boy by his hips and removed his t-shirt, before trying to take off his shorts.

The incident happened when the boy was walking along Higham Road at 7.30pm but was halted when a passer-by shouted at him and the attacker ran off, leaving the boy unhurt.

The man is described as white, of average build, with short dark hair and facial stubble.

He is reported to have been wearing an orange short-sleeved top and beige or sandy-coloured trousers which appeared dirty, especially below the knees and was bare foot.

Det Insp Andy Knowles said: “Our investigation into this matter continues in earnest and I wholly appreciate how upsetting news of this incident must have been for the local community.

“There do appear to be a number of similar incidents reported either in the same locality or with a similar pattern of offending.”

Mr Knowles pointed out an E-fit (above) was released last month after a teenage girl was sexually assaulted by a drunken man as she walked along Barnsley Road at around 10.20pm on June 21.

The suspect slapped the victim’s bottom, grabbed her breasts and attempted to put his hands down her trousers before following her for around 1km. 

He was described as 5ft 8ins tall and of skinny build with dark hair.

Two days later, at 4.30pm, a man described as Asian and in his late 40s to early 50s indecently exposed himself to an 18-year-old girl on a footpath behind Cortonwood Drive and grabbed at her groin area before she fled.

And at 2.30pm on June 29, the same man is believed to have followed two 14-year-old girls as they walked along a track between Cortonwood Drive and Wynmoor Crescent, before exposing himself.

He was described as being of skinny build and around 5ft 10ins tall, with dark grey hair and was wearing an orange polo shirt and cropped dark-coloured denim shorts or trousers.

No arrests have been made anyone who can help the enquiry should call police on 101 quoting incident number 942 of July 18.