Man charged as the hunt for city centre ‘groper’ continues

POLICE investigating a series of incidents where women were allegedly groped at bus stops in the Capital have arrested a man.

Officers said that during the ongoing investigation into two reports of indecent assault on Princes Street and The Mound on Thursday, October 11, they received a third complaint relating to a man acting suspiciously around a woman waiting on a bus at the George IV Bridge.

Local inquiries were carried out to identify the individual responsible and a 40-year-old has now been arrested and charged with a breach of the peace.

He is due to appear in court at a later date in connection with this incident.

Following the arrests, officers said they were now following a positive line of inquiry in relation to the two indecent assaults.

In the first incident, at 8.15pm on October 11, a 20-year-old woman said she 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 away down Princes Street.

Police also received a report that five minutes later, a 26-year-old woman said she was approached at a crowded bus stop on Princes Street, having become aware of someone following her as she walked down The Mound.

As she stopped at the bus stop opposite Boots on Princes Street to catch a No 31, a man allegedly indecently assaulted her before running off.

It is understood at least eight people at the bus stop witnessed the incident.

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