'Horrendous' attack on schoolgirl

13 April 2012

A "vulnerable" young girl was abducted on her way home from school by four men, blindfolded and subjected to a serious sexual assault, police said today.

The 13-year-old was travelling on a bus towards Hackney in east London at around 4.30pm yesterday when she was approached by the four attackers.

They started to chat to the girl, who was still wearing her school uniform, before forcing her to get off the bus at Clapton Common.

The men then placed a bandana over her eyes and led her to an area nearby where she was subjected to a sexual assault, Scotland Yard said.

The group then lead the victim back to the bus stop at Clapton Common where they removed her blindfold before fleeing the scene.

Police are hunting four black men all aged around 18 years.

A Scotland spokeswoman said it was unclear at this stage how many of the men were involved in the attack itself and exactly where the assault took place.

Detective Inspector Daniel Smith of Operation Sapphire, the specialist unit which investigates sexual assaults, said: "This was a horrendous assault on a vulnerable young girl who was travelling home from school.

"We are certain that someone must have seen the group of four males on the bus and then later as they led this blindfolded teenage girl to an unknown location. We urge anyone with information to come forward as soon as possible."

To assist witnesses, the victim is described as black and was wearing her uniform which consisted of a maroon blazer and tartan skirt.

Police believe she had been travelling on the 253 bus towards Hackney.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Operation Sapphire at Stoke Newington police station on 020 7275 4070 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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