Crimewatch viewers give police possible names for sex attacker who assaulted girl, 13, in Moreton

Mar 3 2010 by Lorna Hughes, Wallasey News

DETECTIVES say there has been an “excellent response” to a television appeal for information about a sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl.

During the attack, which happened in June 2008, the teenager was led away from a bus stop in Pasture Road, Moreton Cross, Wirral.

A man befriended her before luring her away from people standing at the bus stop at around 5.30pm on Thursday June 19, 2008.

He persuaded her to go with him to a secluded spot – a local fish pond within the grounds of the Cadbury’s Pasture Road factory site.

The victim remembers her attacker slobbered as he spoke and also had a distinctive green frog tattoo on his wrist. He was also wearing a gold watch.

He told the girl his name was “Les” and that he was from Liverpool.

CCTV footage of the suspected attacker was shown on last Thursday’s Crimewatch programme.

The victim’s mother also spoke about her daughter’s terrifying ordeal.

Detective Inspector Mark Watson of Birkenhead CID, who is leading the investigation, said: “We have had an excellent response since the Crimewatch appeal, it has been really encouraging and I’m very grateful to everyone who called in.

“We had dozens of calls from people with information and several names have been given to us as a possible suspect, which my team is now following up.

“We also had a number of calls reporting possible sightings of the man in the CCTV both in the Wirral area and in Liverpool and there remain lots of potential witnesses who were in Pasture Road that afternoon, either at the bus stop or at Moreton train station, who could still have vital information.

“I would appeal for anyone who has not yet come forward to get in touch with us and help us catch this dangerous man.

“We have a full DNA profile of the offender and can quickly rule out names of other people we have been given.”

The man was white, aged between 30 and 40, was of average build, had short greying hair, a wrinkled, stubbly face and was wearing a blue tracksuit and training shoes.

Detectives believe after the attack the man got on a Liverpool-bound train from Moreton station.

Anyone with information is asked to call Birkenhead CID on 777 2261 or leave information anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.