CCTV hope in hunt for Princes St pervert

A THIRD suspected victim of the Princes Street Groper has come forward offering police the chance to land a clearer CCTV image of the attacker.

The young woman, who was approached on George IV Bridge minutes before the subsequent attacks, contacted officers after reading reports of a pervert who groped two women at bus stops in the city centre.

In a similar style of attack, this latest victim was also grabbed in full view of other bus passengers.

It is understood that the man grabbed her from behind and attempted to hug her at 8pm on Thursday night.

Sources said the latest victim had screamed after the man grabbed her and backed off, but that he kept trying to talk to her and shake her hand before walking off.

Several people are understood to have walked past her during the incident, but no-one appeared to notice anything was wrong.

Police are now going through CCTV records for the latest incident to see if a clear image of the man has been caught on camera. They were not able to confirm or deny reports her jacket had been swabbed for forensic samples.

Officers revealed that just minutes after this incident a 20-year-old woman was using her mobile phone at a bus stop on The Mound when a man tried to kiss her. She managed to fight him off and he ran off down Princes Street.

A short time later, a similarly “distinctive” long-haired man approached a 26-year-old woman at a crowded bus stop on Princes Street – the woman had already become aware of someone following her as she walked down The Mound.

As she stopped at the No 31 bus stop opposite Boots, the man indecently assaulted her before running off.

Detectives said he may have approached others and urged anyone who recognised descriptions of the man to come forward.

The suspect was described by the first victim at The Mound as white, 35-45 years old, of medium build, with long dark hair with a wavy or curly fringe. He was smartly dressed and well-spoken, wearing dark trousers and dark shoes, and was carrying a dark-coloured shoulder bag.

The second victim described him as being 26-35 years old, wearing a hood, and again with long dark hair which was wavy at the front.

A police spokesman said: “Lothian and Borders Police are continuing with their enquiries into two indecent assaults that took place on Princes Street and the Mound on Thursday 11th October.

“During the course of our investigation a third report of a male behaving suspiciously at a bus stop on George IV Bridge was received and is being progressed by detectives.

“Anyone with information that can assist with our enquiries is asked to contact police immediately.”

Anyone with any information should contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131-311 3131 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.