A 14-year-old boy has been charged over five sexual assaults, three of which happened close to The University of Manchester last month.
The boy will appear at Manchester City Magistrates today charged with five counts of sexual assault of which three women were attacked near to the university between Saturday September 21 and Saturday October 5.
The first offence happened at around 6.15pm when a 27-year-old woman was approached and grabbed from behind while walking through the university grounds near Lloyd Street North. She screamed and was threatened before he fled.
Minutes later, a 21-year-old woman was approached by a boy on Oxford Road who made lewd comments. She carried on walking onto Moss Lane East before being sexually assaulted.
On Saturday October 5 a 32-year-old woman was on her phone while walking through Manchester Science park at around 2.15pm when she was approached by two boys and sexually assaulted by one of them. She pushed him away but was sexually assaulted again before the boys fled.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Larkin said: “I am extremely grateful to the public for all the calls we received this weekend after putting an appeal out for information in connection with these incidents.
“The women are traumatised as a result of what happened and are being offered support by specially trained officers.
“Whatever the young boy’s motivation, this is not a practical joke or a prank. His actions are disturbing and he has caused the three women he assaulted a lot of upset.
“Undoubtedly people who work, live and study in this area will be concerned. Incidents of this nature are thankfully extremely rare and this sort of offence involving such a young offender is even rarer, but it is right we should warn members of the public so they can be vigilant and take the right precautions such as sticking with friends and not walking alone where possible.”
An 18-year-old man has been bailed pending further enquiries following his arrest on Saturday.
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