Schoolboy, 11, attacked on way to Midland school by 'singing' assailant
An 11 year old lad was brutally assaulted and punched in the face by a 'singing' man in a horrifying incident as he walked to his school's breakfast club. The attack occurred near Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent, in Tunstall, while the boy was with his older sister.
The young victim is now too frightened to step outside following the ordeal.
His mother, Sarah Murray, aged 41, recounted: "They said there was a man singing to himself and mumbling to himself. They've crossed the road and he has approached them and said 'Are you the kids from yesterday? '. They've looked at him and walked off because they didn't know who he was. As they're walking off, he has gone and kicked my son full in the back from behind, pinned him to the ground, and started choke-holding him and punching him. He has tissue damage and bruising. But, mentally it has knocked him and he won't go out."
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Four passers-by intervened to stop the assailant, who then ran away. The shaken children were sheltered in a stranger's car until the arrival of the police.
However, the family's anger has been compounded by the news that the alleged attacker has been released on bail, reports Stoke on Trent Live.
Stepfather Simon Barlow, aged 42, expressed his concern: "This gentleman is still walking around Burslem and our children still have to go to school and back. There's nothing stopping him from attacking our children again or somebody else's children. Everybody in the community is dismayed about how little the police have done."
Staffordshire Police are now appealing for any witnesses to the assault, which took place near Wrights just before 8am on Tuesday, September 17.
A spokesperson for Staffordshire Police said: "We arrested a 37-year-old man, from Stoke-on-Trent, on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. He has been released on bail while enquiries continue."
Anyone with information is asked to call Staffordshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 111 of 17 September, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.