Followed and chased by man into Denmark Hill Station

[Catherine W]

Hi,

Firstly I'm ok and no physical harm occurred...

This is a warning to keep your eyes peeled in the Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill area.

I was walking through Ruskin Park yesterday at around 7pm and noticed a man shouting out of the corner of my eye. He appeared to be shouting at no one so I decided to exit the park and walk quickly. Glancing over my shoulder at the traffic lights by Denmark Hill station I saw he was following me and appeared to make eye contact. Partly due to the green man counting down and a sense unease I decided to run across to the other side of the road. I turned round and the man was pacing after me. I asked another man to walk me to the bus stop and kept checking over my shoulder. To cut a long story short I was chased into Denmark Hill station, hid behind a bin for a few minutes whilst the aggressive character was shouting after me and trying to find me.

After a while he walked off towards East Dulwich and I reported it to the police. He continued to be aggravated and shout into the distance.

So please don't make eye contact if you see this man. I'm pretty sure he would have got physical if he caught up with me.

Here is a description:

Around 5'10"

About 35/40 years old

Slim build

Black

Corn braids in hair

Light green sweater

Jeans and trainers

Stay safe and keep your wits about you and call the police if you feel like you are in any danger.

Hopefully the cctv in Denmark Hill station caught him and the police will catch up with him.

[Ruskin]

Thanks for this warning. I shall keep an eye out.

[a_m]

Thanks for the warning, and so sorry to hear you had this experience. It must have been very distressing and although you say no physical harm occurred, I hope you are feeling okay emotionally.

[Toffee]

So sorry this happened to you. Sadly, ruskin park is not far from Maudsley hospital, so could be an outpatient. Thank you for alerting us, though. Glad you're ok.

[Penguin68]

This is a terrible story. In the old days, pre hands-free mobiles, seeing anyone apparently talking (or shouting) to themselves was an immediate warning sign - suggesting a disturbed individual. Now half the people (walking on their own) I pass in the street (at certain times of day) are talking or shouting - but into hands-free apparatus. So the old cues and triggers no longer work.

You did exactly the right thing in making an escape - and it is an area where disturbed (though by no means dangerous to anyone but themselves in most instances) people can be found.

There is a tragic shortage of treatment availability, even around here - much better provided than many parts of the country - for those with mental problems. Most may be frightening but are actually harmless (to third parties, self-harming is very common) but there is no way of judging that at the moment of threat.

[rhamilton9.210]

There were two men in there 40's shouting at strangers passing by at the bottom of North Cross road (near Barry road) very strange. That was yesterday.

[peckham_ryu]

Glad you're ok.

As Toffee said, this does happen near hospitals, especially one like Maudsley. I've had a similar scenario, when some poor chap thought I was one of the secret agents that he believed were monitoring him. You did the right thing by avoiding.

[dimples]

Yes me too , I crossed the road to go to kings from love walk and caught the eye of a scruffily dressed rasta who shouted and chaced after me all the way round to the eye : dermatology building , I hid in the far end of the waiting room and alerted the receptionist who kept an eye on him who waited for ages outside , then eventually left . That was a couple of months ago but I too was really shaken up!