18 April 2023 , 10:38
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A mum says her 13-year-old son has been left traumatised after a man attempted to sexually assault him at a park.
The schoolboy had gone into the Four Winds toilet block at Brinton Park in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, last Friday morning where he found a man who appeared to be masturbating.
The offender then attempted to touch the boy, who pushed him away and ran outside.
The stranger is described as white, over 6ft, in his late 40s, with a big build and a large belly, wearing a dark green raincoat, possibly with a hood, and blue jeans.
Speaking to the Mirror, the mum said her son was left feeling "scared and sick" by the ordeal, which took place in broad daylight, around 11.25am.
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"Luckily, my son knew enough to react this way. I dread to think what could've happened had he froze and not ran," she said.
He had gone to the park - somewhere he knows well - to meet a friend during the Easter holidays.
The young boy gave a statement to police (Birmingham Mail)The boy called his dad who rushed down to the scene.
Witnesses told them they saw a man running out of the park moments after the encounter.
The mum said: "He went into the toilets and there was a man in there."
She said as he used a urinal, her son became aware the man was abusing himself, before he tried to grab the teenager.
The mum continued: "Luckily, my son hit his hand away and ran, and called his dad straight away, who came to the park, but other people there said they'd seen a man running away.
"He took my son straight to the police and reported it."
After receiving a text to explain what had happened from the boy's dad, she took an early lunch at work to speak to her child after he'd given police a statement.
Witnesses said they saw someone fleeing the scene (Birmingham Mail)"I spoke to him a couple of times throughout the day but I think he just wanted to shut himself away in his bedroom for a bit and not think about it," she explained.
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"He said he felt scared and sick and obviously was quite shaken about the whole thing.
"He’s very much: I just want to forget about it.
"He was a bit concerned about going into school this morning (Monday) because he knew that some of his school friends were aware of what had happened.
"He was worried about how they might be but he said all of his friends have been really supportive."
The mum said her son doesn't want to go back to the park, but said she is torn about what to do.
"On one hand, you think I want to shut him away. But on the other, you think I don’t want him to be frightened of everything forever," she said.
"That’s not fair either, children should be allowed to be children."
However, she has called for the local council to have CCTV installed around the toilet block and an increased warden presence.
She said she always assumed there were cameras, but the police told her there aren't.
"I have messaged the Wyre Forest District Council to report it - they did the usual of 'I hope he’s okay and you’ve done the right thing in reporting it to the police', but it was more - why are you not looking at more security around the park?" she said.
"CCTV or more visible wardens. There are wardens in that park, sitting in an office, but I've never once seen a warden in the park.
"The council need to step up and have some form of protective measures in place to prevent it happening to anyone else," she added.
Describing the toilets themselves, she said: "I’ve used those toilets myself a couple of weeks ago, for a free youth outreach event - I went into the ladies toilets and it’s like a crime scene, they’re disgusting.
"You can see the sort of thing that would be going on in there - there’s got to be drug use and everything going on in there.
"They are really grotty. They are not somewhere I’d advise anyone to use unless they absolutely have to."
West Mercia Police are interested in hearing from anyone who lives locally to the park who has doorbell footage, anyone who was in the park or who used the toilets around 11am to 12pm who may have seen anything unusual.
Detective Inspector Colin Berry said: “We understand reports of this nature are likely to cause concern for the local community and local officers will be carrying out visible patrols in the area over the coming days.
“They can be approached by members of the public with any information or concerns.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact DS Tennant or DS Dee on 101 extension 7733164/7732003 or email [email protected].
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.
The Mirror has contacted Wyre Forest District Council for comment.