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A teenage girl was sexually assaulted near a hospital and police recommend prickly plants as a deterrent to burglars

Police are hunting for a sex attacker after a teenage girl was assaulted near St John's Hospital in Livingston

Let's hope the polis get him – and he is severely punished.

The Real Alfonsa Pedrosa

I hope so too. I stay in Livingston and there are a lot of these underpasses and paths leading off here and there making it easy for an attacker to get a good getaway. The underpass which goes from the vets at Howden over the river to the Centre is another bad example as there are trees and bushes on both sides, making it easy for someone to conceal themselves.

Peedie Paws

I really hope they catch this person too, I work toward Livingston Village and have to walk through the underpass and through the woods at the opposite side of the hospital to where this attack happened. It's quite scary at times. And as 'Peedie Paws' says, anyone can easily conceal themselves.

Livi Mac

Who wants to lay bets that he is a serial offender released on good behaviour from some open prison?

This new government seriously needs to look again at making prisons prisons and let's start with the American system, let's make the first act of a new parliament to promise to build a super prison to hold at least 50,000 inmates, and let's situate it on some of the old and derelict oil platforms, we can then tow them all out to sea and leave them there.

Jay Kay

My thoughts are with this poor girl and I hope this swine is caught soon, for her sake. I live across from where the attack took place and the thought that this happened virtually in our back garden is frightening. Jay Kay, don't turn this traumatic event for the poor young girl into a political rant. You cannot make assumptions until the beast that committed the appalling attack is caught.

Mummu

Police are encouraging city residents to protect their homes by planting "jaggy bushes" to deter thieves

Let's wait for the first claim from a burglar who has "cut themselves to shreds" on a rose bush.

StevenB

The more deterrents that have the potential to cause injury to burglars the better.

digestive biscuits V

Nobody wants their place to look like a fortress, but if these jaggy things work, why not?

The Real Alfonsa Pedrosa

What about a cannabis plant? Once the would-be thieves had rolled a joint, they'd be well easy to catch and probably too wasted to bother about breaking in!

Peedie Paws

Probably take you about ten years to grow one of these to a height that would be useful. Perhaps you can buy them fully grown?

Hmm?

If you plant these bushes, you probably won't have the police turn up at your door if you have any other bother, for fear of "being unlawfully endangered by thorns". Plant at your own risk!

keithface

How about tulips with razor blades glued to their leaves?

Drunken Master

Landmines can be an asset when deterring would-be property invaders. They can be a bit tricky though if you get home after a pint or eight and can't remember the safe path through.

A Friend of Fernando Poo

Nettles might work as a standby while your bushes are growing. I'm told young nettles make a nice cuppa too.

A Friend of Fernando Poo