Burnley mum’s anger at school as sex pest targets daughter (13)

The Year 8 girl was walking to Blessed Trinity RC College when a man pulled down her skirt and underwear in Leyland Road, minutes from the school.

The incident at 8-30 a.m. last Thursday followed a similar one on Tuesday, May 24th, which the school had failed to notify parents of.

The mother told the Express: “I’m appalled and disgusted Blessed Trinity didn’t send out a letter warning parents about this man. Apparently the police told all schools in the area this man was operating around the Leyland Road area but we knew nothing about it.

“If I had known, there was no way I would have let my daughter walk to school on her own. She was obviously very upset by what happened and ran home crying. I think it’s absolutely ridiculous the school didn’t send out a letter warning pupils to be vigilant.”

Police confirmed they had issued advice to schools but a spokesman said it was at each school’s discretion how to put that warning across.

Blessed Trinity headteacher Miss Bernadette Bleasdale said: “The police advice was not to cause alarm.

“We brought the police in on Tuesday after the first incident, which was not necessarily related. We followed police advice as we did not want to scaremonger. The school has handled this matter absolutely correctly.”

Miss Bleasdale confirmed teachers told every class about the man on Thursday afternoon, after the two incidents.

Det. Insp. Simon Cheyte said: “These incidents, I know, were very distressing for both the young girls involved and we are extremely keen to trace this individual as soon as possible.

“Due to the similarities of the two offences we do believe they could be linked.

“Leyland Road is a busy road and there will have been a good number of people around at those times of the morning so I would urge people to think back and contact us if they have seen anything suspicious.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 08451 253545 or Crimestoppers, free and in confidence, on 0800 555111.

There’s more on this story in this week’s Express