CRIME | Mentally ill man ambushes schoolgirl walking home at midnight

A man with a history of mental illness last month attempted to grab a schoolgirl’s handbag while she was making her way home alone, according to the Judiciary Police, who have launched a probe into the incident after learning about the assault online.
Earlier this month, appeals for more information alongside descriptions of the incident emerged on social media, urging residents near Casa Garden to stay vigilant, said the police. In spite of receiving no reports from the victim, the investigators initiated an inquiry into the incident.
The authorities’ investigations later revealed that on September 28, the 17-year-old local victim was ambushed on Rua de Entre-Campos by a 48-year-old local man, who repeatedly struck her on the head with a plastic bottle, which had been wrapped in tape and stuffed with newspaper.
It was also said that the teenage student failed to shake off the man, despite having bitten the man’s hand, which was covering her mouth. However, a driver reportedly later arrived by chance and rescued the girl, using his vehicle to scare off the man who subsequently fled the scene. CCTV footage captured the offender later returning to the same location in another outfit.
The victim arrived home with all of her belongings, said the police. Yesterday morning, the investigators took the suspect to the police station after identifying him through surveillance footage.
They learnt from his mother and the Social Welfare Bureau that the man has long suffered from a mental disorder and is sometimes prone to violent behavior.
The police also said that the mother was unaware of the attack until the police approached them. The authorities’ investigation continues as police investigate the possibility of further cases involving other individuals.