Double assault terror leaves student scared to attend class

Published on Friday 30 January 2009 09:00

A STUDENT who was assaulted twice in one week by the same attacker while travelling from university on a city bus has been left too terrified to attend her classes.

The 21-year-old zoology student, who has asked not to be named, uses the number 41 Lothian Buses service to get from her home in Niddrie to study at Edinburgh University's King's Buildings campus.

The man, who is believed to be a fellow student, launched the first unprovoked assault on the victim as she talked with friends.

After screaming at her and threatening to kill one of her friends, the man grabbed a book she was carrying and hit her in the face with it.

The shocked student called police, who launched an investigation into the assault, but officers failed to trace the attacker, who is believed to be aged between 18 and 21.

But as she travelled on the same bus route on Monday night, the man sat down next to her and demanded she "f****** apologise". When the victim ran to inform the driver, he ran after her and started kicking her.

Again the police were called and took statements from other passengers, but the suspect had fled.

Now the student, who is studying in the Capital but comes from Manchester, is unwilling to attend her classes until her attacker is caught. Her 68-year-old father contacted the university's welfare department in the hope that they could help identify the man.

He said: "This guy is apparently a student and now my daughter is frightened to go into university in case she sees him again.

It already takes her an hour on the bus each way to travel to her classes and she's also worried she might bump into him on the campus if he studies there. She's too scared until he's caught and the situation is dealt with.

"One of her friends said she had seen him in one of her classes."

The student was forced to take a year off her course after her father was diagnosed with cancer and she only returned to her studies last October.

Her father added: "We are just dreading getting a call to say that she has been hurt by this guy. She doesn't know him and was talking to friends on the bus back to her home from university when he suddenly started screaming and swearing at her and threatening to kill her friend.

"She asked him what he was talking about and he took a book she was reading and slapped it into her face."

The man was described as being aged 18 to 21, short, stocky build, with "odd-looking eyes".

A police spokesman said: "Police are investigating two alleged assaults on a 21-year-old woman that happened on a bus in the Blackford Avenue area on January 20 and 27. Anyone with information should contact police immediately."

A university spokeswoman said: "The university is aware of alleged assault incidents involving a student on a bus service and is liaising with the appropriate authorities.

The university has a well-established welfare and counselling service which is open to all students, should they become a victim of crime."