NEWS

Serious incident blackens otherwise successful Highland Show
By Chris McCullough

RECORD attendances were recorded at this year's Highland Show in Edinburgh, but the success of the event was jeopordised by a serious incident on the Saturday night.

Edinburgh police are appealing for witnesses after a teenage girl was the victim of a serious sexual assault in the early hours of Saturday, June 27, within Ingliston Show Ground.

The incident happened in the vicinity of the portable toilets which are sited between the east caravan park and marquee in which a Young Farmers Ball was underway.

The 17-year-old victim, who was very shocked and distressed following the attack, was not physically injured.

A police spokesman said: "The incident happened between 00.30am and 1am and there would have been a lot of people in the area at the time.

"Party goers would have been queueing for the toilets and we are urging anyone who perhaps saw an incident involving a man and a young woman or the victim in a distressed state to contact us."

Police say the man has been described as white, in his mid to late 20s and around 5ft 9ins-5ft 10ins in height. He was unshaven with short brown hair, which is described as in a gelled, messy style, of stocky build and with a distinctive small nose. He was wearing a dark blue rugby type shirt with yellow letters on the back and light blue jeans.

It is believed he may have been at the dance in the company of a group of other young men - one of whom had on a distinctive Australian-style bush hat, was wearing a red top with white lettering on it and blue jeans.

The spokesman added: "We know that there were people at the event who were taking photographs with digital cameras, and we are encouraging anyone who did so to send the images to us, in order to assist our enquiries."

Anyone who attended the event can email photographs to the following address: highlandshow@lbp.pnn.police.uk.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131 or, in confidence, the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 551 1111.

Full story available in FARM WEEK - see your local newsagent
Click here for previous stories