A 13-year-old schoolboy was sexually assaulted at a bus stop in Liverpool on Friday morning, prompting a manhunt by Merseyside Police. The teenager was waiting on Utting Avenue in Norris Green at about 7.50am when a man approached him, started a conversation, and then touched him inappropriately, officers said. The boy left the bus stop “in shock” and returned home, according to the force.
Detectives have released a description of the suspect: a white man aged around 65, about 5ft 5in tall, with short grey hair and a southern accent. He was wearing black shorts and a grey T-shirt. Officers conducted a search of the area and are carrying out extensive CCTV and witness enquiries.
“A 13-year-old boy was sexually assaulted at a bus stop in Norris Green, Liverpool; police are hunting a white man aged 65.”
Detective Inspector Joe Rea said: “I would like to reassure the public that incidents such as this are rare, and we are taking this incident extremely seriously. The victim was very shocked and understandably very distressed by the incident.” Rea urged anyone who was on Utting Avenue between 7.45am and 8.15am to contact police, and specifically appealed to motorists to check their dashcam footage for a man matching the description.
“We understand the concern that such incidents cause in our communities, so please come forward with any information and we will take action,” Rea added. “Providing support to victims of sexual assault has never been more important, and I would encourage anyone experiencing this to report it to us and we will support you every way we can.”
Anyone with information can contact Merseyside Police via social media @MerPolCC, quoting reference 26000487869.