School Girl Touched On Birmingham Bus

Police in the West Midlands have released pictures of a man they suspect of placing a hand on the knee of a 12 year old school girl as she headed home on a bus in Birmingham.

Detectives from the Public Protection Unit are investigationg what happened on the National Express number 1 bus to Acocks Green on the afternoon of Wednesday 9th October.

The girl who was dressed in her uniform had been waiting for the bus at the stop outside Barclays bank on St Mary's Row, Moseley at around 3.10pm.

She sat near to the back of the bus and the man, who got on the bus at the same stop, sat next to her.

A few minutes into the journey heading towards King's Heath it is alleged that the man asked for the girl's phone number. She refused and ignored the man who later placed his hand on the girl's knee and once again asked for her number.

The man then got off the bus near to Springfield school and walked down Grove Road, Sparkhill.

Detective Constable Natalie Adkins, from the Public Protection Unit, said: "The girl was shaken by the incident and did the right thing by telling her mum who then contacted the police. Since the touching we have been supporting the girl and securing her statement. We've scoured hours of CCTV footage in the area to track the man's movements as well as conducting a number of police checks. I would ask anyone who can name the man in the CCTV to call me. I would also urge the man himself to contact me - this is his chance to explain what happened and why."

The man is described by the young girl as Asian, in his 20s, around 5'7" tall, with short black hair and short trimmed facial hair. He was wearing a black jacket and cream coloured jeans.