13-Year-Old Girl Sexually Assaulted, Robbed On Her Way To School; Search Underway For Suspect

The police in Salford, England, are on the lookout for a man who sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl and robbed her while she was on her way to school.

Officers arrived at Peel Park on Wednesday morning after receiving reports of an assault. Investigation revealed the girl was walking toward her school when the accused approached her. He initiated a conversation with the teen before sexually assaulting her. The accused then stole the teen’s mobile phone and fled the scene, BBC reported.

Calling it a "deeply concerning" incident, police officer Chris Horsfield told Manchester Evening News, "This is a deeply concerning incident where a young girl has been randomly approached in broad daylight and subjected the victim to a horrific ordeal by an unknown man clearly with sinister intentions."

The teen was left shaken by the incident and was being supported by specialist officers. She, however, did not suffer injuries in the assault.

A manhunt was launched for the accused, who the police described as a white man in his 20s last seen wearing a blue-hooded top and matching dark blue joggers. The man, believed to be 6 feet tall, has short light-colored hair and a lightly-colored faint mustache, the police said.

"Our dedicated team of officers will be investigating a number of lines of inquiry which will seek to identify this man, and we are working with specialist partners to support the victim,” officer Horsfield said, Manchester Evening News reported.

The police added there will be an increase in patrols in the area because of the incident.

"In the interest of public safety, there will be an increase in patrols in the area and are working with the local authority to keep the public safe," Horsfield said. "We are asking for information to help us identify the offender so that we can speak to him in connection with this sexual assault and robbery. If anyone has any information at all about the identity of this man, please speak to police. Even the smallest piece of information could help us to advance our investigation, find justice for the victim, and take this man off our streets."