Hamilton woman (21) subjected to sex attack

Nov 12 2009 by Gary Fanning, Hamilton Advertiser

DETECTIVES were this week hunting a vile pervert who subjected a young female student to a terrifying sex attack in Hamilton.

The frightened 21-year-old victim was indecently assaulted and stalked as she walked home from Hamilton West Station on Bonfire Night at 11.30pm.

She had got off the train and decided to take a short cut through an isolated lane at the station’s car park, making her way towards William Street.

The young woman continued to walk past flats and Douglas View Care Home and when she came out at Burnbank Road she realised that a man in his early 30s to late 40s was following her.

She slowed down and allowed her attacker to walk past before he pounced in Yews Crescent.

During her horror ordeal, the twisted sex beast grabbed her from behind and then indecently assaulted her.

She managed to run across the road to the BP filling station in Burnbank where she called her mum for help.

While there, she spotted the weirdo crouching down and staring at her from bushes across the road.

Police were then alerted to the incident.

But the fiend made off by the time officers were on the scene.

The victim was uninjured but left very distressed by her ordeal.

Staff at the petrol station said they didn’t see the young woman being attacked and weren’t aware of the incident.

Police have issued a description of the suspect they are hunting.

He was wearing a white baseball cap, dark baseball jacket with white sleeves and jeans.

Detectives are not ruling out that he had been a passenger on the train.

Officers are hoping that CCTV footage from the train station may identify him.

Police carried out house-to-house enquiries in the area.

Detective constable Neil Wilson, of Hamilton CID, has called for the public’s help in tracking down the sex attacker before he strikes again.

“This was a terrifying experience for the young woman.

“I would like to speak to anyone who may have seen the culprit hanging around the area prior to the incident, anyone who may have seen him following the woman to the filling station afterwards,” he said.

“It is not known whether the culprit had been travelling on the train from Glasgow, therefore anyone who was on the train and may have seen a man dressed in the above clothing is also asked to contact Hamilton CID.

“Although it was late at night, the road where the attack took place would still have been busy with motorists and pedestrians passing by.”

Anyone with information on the incident should contact DC Wilson at Hamilton CID on 483300, or alternatively phone Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, where calls are free and anonymity can be maintained.

Last month the Advertiser reported how a sick pervert in his 60s subjected a 13-year-old girl to a horror sex attack in broad daylight.

The teenager was left traumatised after the indecent assault occurred in High Blantyre’s Main Street at 5.20pm.

She was walking along a path near the busy Blakeley’s Bar when her attacker pounced.

The girl was walking along the street and listening to music via earphones when the sex beast approached her from behind. He put his arm around her and indecently assaulted her.

She managed to break free, ran away and raised the alarm.