Man arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child on a bus in Churchdown

A man has been arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child on a bus and police are appealing for witnesses as part of their investigation.

Police were called on Monday (20 April) with a report that an unknown man was repeatedly approaching a girl as she waited for a bus home from school.

It was also reported that once on the number 98 bus the man had touched the girl on her thigh and arm without her consent and made sexualised comments towards her.

This had taken place at a bus stop on Brookfield Road in Churchdown at around 3.30pm on several days.

The girl called police yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 22 April) to report that the same man was on the bus and had approached her again.

The bus driver was alerted to this and stopped the bus to prevent the man from being able to get off.

Officers attended and a man aged in his 40s and from Gloucester was subsequently arrested in connection with the incident. He has since been released on conditional bail pending further enquiries.

Investigating officers are now asking anyone who was in the area or on the bus and may have seen the man to get in contact with police.

Anyone with any CCTV, mobile phone footage or information is asked to contact police online by using the following form and quoting incident 339 of 22 April: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

The Tewkesbury Neighbourhood Policing Team will be taking part in reassurance patrols in the area during school hours over the coming days.