Detectives 'sickened' at attack on girl by woman with syringe

POLICE are appealing for information after a 12-year-old girl was assaulted by a woman, who threatened her with a syringe.

Police say the girl was left traumatised by the attack, which "sickened" detectives.

She was walking along Coburg Street in the Gorbals area of Glasgow on Wednesday afternoon when she was approached by a woman, who grabbed her by the arm and demanded money.

The woman then fled empty-handed towards the Norfolk Street area. The young girl made her way home and contacted police. Officers have been making inquiries in the area since and are appealing for help.

Detective Constable Nick Gribben, of the Robbery Unit at Pollok, said: "This poor girl has been left absolutely traumatised, and words fail to describe how the victim and her family are feeling right now. To target a vulnerable child and threaten her with a needle is just despicable, and this incident has sickened both myself and my colleagues, who have dealt with countless robberies over the years.

"Thankfully, she wasn't injured and didn't have any money to hand over. However, the suspect is quite clearly determined to go to any lengths, and this is of natural concern to us."

He added: "We believe the suspect may have been in the company of a male with two dogs, so I would ask if anyone has seen a man and woman in the area fitting the descriptions to contact police."

The woman is approximately 5ft 2in, with brown hair, and was wearing a pink hooded top with a grey top underneath. She is also said to have sores on her mouth and a scar next to her mouth.

The male is described as approximately 6ft 2in, slim build and possibly had two dogs.