Dirty rude runner - just a FYI

[muffins78]

I was on my way to work this morning, heading the bus stop at the top of Lordship Lane past the Harvester, at about 8 am!! Its just a warning, as nothing serious happened, but as you know people can get a lot braver.

Some guy who was running with headphones (think they were the big ones - not the small ones) came up behind me and grabbed my breast. He kept running and I just stood dumbfounded, he even had the rudeness to slightly turnaround and look at me.

It is a small incident but I am annoyed with myself that I just froze, something similar happened to me at West Dulwich station a few years back, but that guy tried to grab me below. This I reported, because I didnt want him getting braver and doing something dreadful to someone else. I swore that no-one would touch me again without me making a fuss, but I failed on this occasion too..

He was waering navy tracksuit/running gear - he may have had a bag. He was running in the direction of Forest Hill. He looked like he was out for a jog/run or whatever, he certainly needed it.

[Polly D]

You poor thing! I wouldn't consider this a small incident. I would be totally freaked out if this happened to me. I mean, good for you for not panicking, and thankfully it wasn't more serious, but why on earth should this guy feel this is appropriate behaviour. I would report it, definitely.

[AcedOut]

That's a sexual assault in my mind and he should be reported.

[sophiesofa]

How horrible. I think you should report it though and don't be annoyed at yourself for not reacting - it was probably the safest thing to do.

[bil]

i'm sorry this happened to you. Please don't feel guilty at your reaction; you were shocked, i would be. Thanks for letting us know. please report it though as it is a sexual assault.

[Penguin68]

I know that this is likely to be an assault, and, yes, a serious one at that, but it is just possible that the person who did it mistook you for someone he knew (for whom such an action might not have been unacceptable) turned round to see his 'friend' and is now dying of embarrassment and fear.

But I think you should report it anyway - your initial reaction is more likely to be true than that this was a terrible case of mistaken identity.

[bil]

if it was a mistake, he would (or should) have apologised and explained his mistake. Instead he left muffins78 stunned and feeling violated. No long term damage may have arisen (i hope) but i think it is still serious incident and unlikely to be an accident.

[SimonM]

If it was near the junction itself it may have been caught on CCTV?

[dbboy]

Totally unacceptable behaviour and a horrible thing to happen to anyone, you should definitely report this to the poloice as an assult. I hope their were witnesses.

[deano]

Please report this and make a description of the guy ,this could lead to other things ,its unacceptable,please make sure you do and hope you are ok.

[muffins78]

Hi everyone, just looking at your messages now - thank you!! I was unsure whether to report - not because I am stupid - more because of how something has been handled before.

I am seeing a detective later - not about this - but will get his opinion. But for everyone else, I will report it no matter what he says - in case this guy does get braver.

I have to say I was stunned at the time, but like most things which happen, I do try and play things down. And this guy will have had a surprise, because he ran up from behind, he would have not seen that I was holding my handbag strap and also held a lit cigarette there, and I think the fellow got a bit of a burn ;)

He definately did not mistake me for someone he knew, he seemed quite chuffed in my opinion, and his action was very deliberate. He also would have had a view of me crossing the road towards the bus stop as he approched.

To make this light after I told my mum about it earlier, she said laughing "well, was it gel or air filled" :)

Thanks again, and I will report this to the police, so they can just have the incident on their books for anyone else who may report something...

[SteveT]

There may well be other incidents which this arrogant toad has been involved in, and every description or report takes the police nearer to getting him.

Going to gaol for sex crimes is the most dangerous sort of time for a criminal, as the other convicts loathe them and given the slightest opportunity will give them a good hiding.

We can only hope this happens to him very soon.

[Andystar]

Oh how gross, a wave of nausea spread thoughout me while i read this. hope you're ok & hope he gets whats coming to him..

[shoshntosh]

what an annoying, bizarre, and unfortunate thing to have happen to you... i'm so sorry.

i live nearby and will keep my eyes peeled for him -- can you give more of a description (mainly so others can avoid him, not because i would ever dare to confront him or anything!)? such as age, height, race, hair colour, facial hair etc?

[Ladymuck]

How horrible Muffins78...I hope you are recovering. B******. Makes me feel quite sick.

[lemonellen]

So sorry to hear this, but glad you are OK. I use this bus stop every morning so yes, any more detailed description much appreciated.

[Noosh82]

Hi there, sorry to hear this...something similar happened to me on tuesday afternoon on East Dulwich Grove, a man grabbed me in between my legs and similarly turned round as he ran off to look at me. I also was shocked but did report the incident, the police seemed to take it quite seriously and even took my trousers for forensics. I was woundering if it was the same guy-what did he look like? This man was pretty tall, about 6'2" id say, white, medium build, mousy spikey hair about early 30s!!???

[curlykaren]

oh no, both these incidents sound awful. Muffins78, please report it, I think you'll find that the police will take you quite seriously. A couple of years ago, in peckham rye park, I had a guy run past me pretending to be a jogger and then squat down, in broad daylight, looking me in the face, and had a poo. I was so shocked it took me until the next day to report it. I was very impressed by the way the police handled it and they posted surveylance vans in the area for a time after. Pls report x

[ceribee]

Muffins78 and Noosh82 I feel for you both and good for you Noosh for reporting. I had something like that happen 2 yrs ago on a bus which was pretty horrible. I confronted him there and then and he was totally blas?. I was really upset that no one around me reacted at all and felt like a freak. It upset me a lot but I reported it to the police and they were great about it. Took it very seriously and reassured that it was important because such incidents could suggest/lead to worse sexual assaults. The strangest thing is a year later a saw this guy again on the same bus, I was really shocked but managed to take a photo with my phone, reported it and about a month later they recognised him from the photo and arrested him. He spent the day at the station giving DNA and uncomfortable interviews. He recalled the incident but claimed I had instigated it! The case was not taken further, but I didnt mind as I figured it would hopefully make him think twice before doing it again, and at least there is a record in the case that further offences were reported in the future. As chance would have it I saw him again on the same bus route very recently- this is a yr later. I felt a lot less shocked this time that I had done something. He caught my eye and looked away, I don't know if he recognised me, but I felt at least that I'd had the final word on it.

[The Minkey]

"He recalled the incident but claimed I had instigated it!"

That would be because you're a woman.. One can only wonder what is going through his mind!

I'm glad to hear the police round here take this kind of thing seriously. About 4 years ago, I was walking home in Brixton. I was just passing New Look when I noticed a guy walking towards me was on a collision course so I stepped off a bit to the side and continued walking. When he was about 3 paces away, he stepped back into my path, raised his fist and threw a punch at my face. From the moment he stepped back into my path, I knew something was up and was fortunate to duck out of the way. When the blow didn't strike home, I straightened back up and shouted at him (shock), he just turned to look back as if I was the wierd one.

I wasn't going to report it but I started to think, what if he does this to someone else, so I went down the police station the next morning, where they treated me as if I was a time-waster. They even ummed and aahed about how to categorise it so I suggested 'attempted assault'. I very much doubt they did bother to record it.

Bizarrely, I was down at Kings A&E a couple of years back with my OH. He was off getting seen to and as there was a young woman on her won, very upset, with a face injury, so I started talking to her. It turned out she'd been punched in the face by some bloke, in very similar circumstances, while walking down Rye Lane...

I'm really sorry this happened to you. Do report it, it sounds like the OB take things more seriously round here. Let's hope the guy gets caught and taken off the streets.

[Andystar]

ceribee Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Muffins78 and Noosh82 I feel for you both and good

> for you Noosh for reporting. I had something like

> that happen 2 yrs ago on a bus which was pretty

> horrible. I confronted him there and then and he

> was totally blas?. I was really upset that no one

> around me reacted at all and felt like a freak. It

> upset me a lot but I reported it to the police and

> they were great about it. Took it very seriously

> and reassured that it was important because such

> incidents could suggest/lead to worse sexual

> assaults. The strangest thing is a year later a

> saw this guy again on the same bus, I was really

> shocked but managed to take a photo with my phone,

> reported it and about a month later they

> recognised him from the photo and arrested him. He

> spent the day at the station giving DNA and

> uncomfortable interviews. He recalled the incident

> but claimed I had instigated it! The case was not

> taken further, but I didnt mind as I figured it

> would hopefully make him think twice before doing

> it again, and at least there is a record in the

> case that further offences were reported in the

> future. As chance would have it I saw him again

> on the same bus route very recently- this is a yr

> later. I felt a lot less shocked this time that I

> had done something. He caught my eye and looked

> away, I don't know if he recognised me, but I felt

> at least that I'd had the final word on it.

----------------------------------------------------

i suggest that you should grope him, the next time you see him, with a big stick.

[Sue]

The Minkey Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "He recalled the incident but claimed I had

> instigated it!"

>

> That would be because you're a woman.. One can

> only wonder what is going through his mind!

>

>xxxxxxxxxxx

Or because he was grasping at any straw to get out of the situation he was in.

[jamie mattless]

sorry to hear about that hope you are ok, i do coaching in fitness and have been doing karate for a number of years i train a few woman in running and i do boxing with them and self-defence to ,low rate if you are keen to learn send me a email

take care and be lucky jamie ous

[ceribee]

Minkey that is an incredible story!! How scary, and bizarre. Quick thinking to move out the way. I must agree I'm not nearly so trusting of the general public as I was before moving to London- or maybe that's just getting older! How odd you met another victim of the same guy? Funny how life is full of these unpleasant coincidences- I never bump into the people I'd really like to see again! Self defence probably is a good idea- thanks Jamie for your post. I will think it over...

[Administrator]

Muffins78, a police officer has been trying to get hold of you for a while, please can you contact me for details. If anyone knows mufins78 please could you ask her to contact me

Sorry for the public message, I have tried other methods of contact but no reply.