Hunt for man who tried to persuade girl, 10, to get on bus with him

An investigation has been launched to track down a man who approached a ten-year-old girl and tried to make her get on the bus with him.

Police said the man approached the girl while she was waiting at a bus stop and asked her for directions in Clapham, south-west London.

As a bus pulled over he beckoned her to get on it with him but she refused.

He began to act as though he was her father and told her she was ‘being naughty by not getting on the bus’ and ‘obeying him’.

Luckily the girl’s mother watched the scene from the bus and confronted the man.

But he then became irate and began to bang his head against the glass bus shelter before walking away.

The incident happened at around 3.55pm on Tuesday May 21 on Poynders Road.

Police said the man is described as black, 5ft 9ins, slim-build, around 33 to 35 years old with ‘chiselled’ features.

He was wearing a white T-shirt, blue jeans and white trainers at the time, while carrying a black and red JD rucksack and wearing large black headphones.

Detective Constable Teresa Moore of the Roads and Transport Policing Command, said: ‘This incident left a young girl feeling very frightened.

‘Thankfully, her mother arrived on the scene to confront this man, but this was clearly a fraught situation and we want to speak to this man as soon as possible.

‘If anyone can identify him, I would ask them to contact police immediately.’

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting 6461/21May, or give information anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.