Girl, 12, rape: Man quizzed

The 22-year-old was arrested on suspicion of rape at his home shortly after 7pm last night.

He has not been named but is from the Hindley area and was still being quizzed by detectives at Leigh Police Station this morning.

The man was arrested as the father of the schoolgirl spoke about his torment after he discovered he was less than 200 yards from the scene where his daughter was attacked.

The anguished father was in a pub unaware of the brutal attack his daughter was being subjected to nearby.

Throughout yesterday police chiefs warned parents to be on their guard and be "very aware"

THE ANGUISHED father of a girl raped in a Leigh field believes he could have caught her attacker if he had been alerted immediately.

While the girl was being raped in fields off Smallbrook Lane, her father was in a pub near to the scene of the attack.

After the rape, the girl and a 13 year old friend fled to nearby houses. But if they had run straight into the pub, her father believes he could have caught her attacker.

A man matching the rapist's description was seen unlocking his fluorescent yellow mountain bike for about a two minute period after the rape, from a tree, before he cycled off in the direction of Hindley Green.

The father said: "If she had run into the pub, I could have caught him. He was seen for about two minutes unlocking his bike from a tree."

Since the attack on Sunday at around 6 pm, the victim's distraught father and friends have been riding around the area, searching for the attacker

Police have issued a warning to parents that the wanted man is "very dangerous" and that they should be aware of their children's whereabouts at all times.

DS Brian Langrish said: "Local parents should be very aware where their children are at all times. Do not encourage them to go into rural areas and make sure they are in large groups or are with adults."

In a tragic twist of irony, the girl had been told by her family not to go to the fields -- a popular dog walking spot -- just a day before the incident.

On Sunday, a hot and sunny day, the victim and a 13 year old friend were playing on a public footpath on the fields about 50 yards from the main road when they noticed a man watching them. Concerned, they moved further into the fields until they were about three quarters of a mile from the road.

The man tried to engage them in conversation and then "guided" the victim onto the ground and raped her. The victim's friend, screamed and shouted at the man, but because she did not want to leave her friend had to stay and watch the assault take place.

Police conducted a large search of the area which also involved the police helicopter and door to door enquiries. Officers are also checking on known sex offenders in the area.

DS Langrish said: "This happened in broad daylight on a sunny day, although the area is secluded where the attack took place."

The 12 year old victim's grandmother called for the pervert to be castrated but said the girl was "bearing up brilliantly" in the circumstances, although her friend was very distressed. The girl has even returned to school.

She said they were trying to carry on as normally as possible -- although she is finding it hard to let the girl out of her sight.

"This man should be castrated. The attack happened at about 6 o'clock. One of my friends had just come off the field and she even saw the girls. I said it was a pity you didn't tell them to come off with you."

The man is described as being in his late teens or early 20s, white, of medium build, with a prominent nose with freckles across his cheeks and nose. He smelt strongly of cigarettes and alcohol and was wearing a light coloured polo-shirt with buttons at the neck, blue trousers, a beige jacket and white trainers.

Anyone with information should contact CID on 0161 856 5740 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

The attack has sent shock waves through the small Westleigh community and many parents are vowing to prevent their children going out alone.

Local residents are especially concerned that the assault took place within about two miles of Westleigh High School and Westleigh Methodists Primary School, and on a field used as a play area for many children and also as a haven for dog walkers.

A bus stop is even outside the main entrance into the fields.

Two Corner Lane residents said the fields where very over-grown, were next to a busy main road and regularly used by people of all ages.

One resident said: "I am incredibly shocked that this has happened. There are people walking there every day."

Elaine Pilkington, a Smallbrook Lane resident, who has an 11 year old daughter said the news was extremely worrying.

"My daughter is not allowed out on her own and she isn't allowed to play on the fields. However, I will be taking extra precautions for her safety.

"It's really worrying."

A shopowner on Westleigh Lane, who is the mother of two boys, spoke of her shock and surprise on hearing such a serious Crime had taken place in Westleigh.

"This is very surprising. A lot of people have been in the shop all day and noone's really mentioned it. It is very bad news -- I have two boys and I think it is worrying that I had not been told more about what has happened."

Landlady of the Silver Dollar Freehouse, in Westleigh, Georgina Evans, said the rape was so worrying because it could have happened to anyone.

"It's very worrying. It sounds like this could have happened to anyone, no matter what their age. I have two grown up children -- but I'm still concerned."

Full time mother Kim Hanson, aged 24, a Westleigh resident said even before she heard about the rape she already avoided going out on her own.

"I am surprised something like this has happened in Westleigh especially so near a school. My daughter's only three so obviously I don't let her go out on her own. And I wouldn't walk on the fields by myself."

Reflecting on what has happened two Westleigh men Reg McArt, aged 64, and Kevin Lambert, aged 58, called for tougher sentences for perverts when they are caught.

Mr McArt said: "I am absolutely disgusted by what has happened. We thought there must be something wrong because we saw the police helicopter around here for quite a long time.

"There has got to be harsher sentences for these people when they get caught. In my opinion there's far too many do-gooders who are too lenient with them."

Mrs Evans also called for rapists to be "hung" if they got caught.

Rev Terence Hargreaves-Stead, vicar of St.Paul's Westleigh and chair of the governors at Westleigh High School said: "I only heard yesterday and I think it's absolutely tragic. It's really awful. What can you say to a girl of that age? I am surprised and shocked that this has happened."

Mr Hargreaves-Stead, who has been serving the parish for 30 years, said he would be warning parents to be extra vigilant.

He said: "On the one hand we tell children to be respectful to people and then on the other we tell them to run away from strangers. It's very difficult."