Police have issued a warning to female joggers in South Manchester following a string of reports from women who have complained about being harassed.
Nine separate incidents have been reported to the police. Most occurred in Disdsbury between the hours of 6pm and 8pm, but some have taken place in the area surrounding Sainsbury’s on Wilmslow Road between the hours of 10pm and 1am. All the incidents reported took place between the 21st and 29th August.
In most of the cases reported, the man involved followed the female joggers on his bike, staring at them in a manner which made them uncomfortable. In some instances, the women were also subject to sexual comments. All the women who reported an incident felt they were victims of harassment which caused them to feel distressed.
The person being accused of harassment has been described as a white male in either his late 20s or early 30s, wearing a dark baseball cap and occasionally a rucksack. The victims’ ages ranged from 23 to 38.
Detective Inspector Mark Radford said, “We don’t want to unduly alarm anyone, but it would be remiss of us not to warn people about these incidents.
“At this stage the offender hasn’t progressed towards physically attacking anyone, but that doesn’t lessen the impact of what he is doing.
“To be followed and then stared at by a stranger is, at best creepy, and at worst really sinister. I now want people to take a good look at the efit and call us if you recognise him.
“I also want to advise people, particularly women joggers, to take some simple precautions, especially if out at night.
“Stick to well-lit areas, be aware of your surroundings and, if possible, go out jogging with a friend.
“We are taking these offences very seriously and I want to reassure residents that we are doing our utmost to catch the offender.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 4973.
