Stranger reached in through car window to touch boy,…

Stranger reached in through car window to touch boy, 5, in front of mum on school run

A shocked mum called police after a stranger walked up to her car on the school run, reached in through an open window and touched the face of her young son sitting in the back seat.

The incident, which happened earlier this week outside a school in North Somerset, has sparked a police manhunt and a warning from the headteacher to other parents to talk to their children about stranger danger.

The incident happened at school pick-up time on the afternoon of Tuesday, May 23, in Kestrel Drive, close to Mead Vale School in Worle, near Weston-super-Mare.

A mum reported that a man she estimated to be in his early 20s walked up to her stationary car, reached in through the window and touched her five-year-old son's face. "When I confronted him, he replied that he liked him," she told fellow parents on social media. "This was reported to the police that evening, and they are taking it very seriously."

Mead Vale community school's headteacher Jo Jalosynski told parents about the incident the following day. "We have been asked by the police to make parents aware of a reported incident on Kestrel Drive yesterday afternoon where a man made an uninvited and upsetting approach to a parent and child in a car," she said. "If your children walk home alone, please speak to them about stranger danger."

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said inquiries were taking place, and they were treating the incident as one of assault. "An unknown man is reported to have approached a stationary car near the Kestrel Drive and Mead Vale junction where he reached into the vehicle and touched the face of a young boy, before walking off in the direction of Locking Road," he said. "The incident happened at about 3.20pm on Tuesday 23 May.

"The boy sustained no physical injuries. The victim's mother was with the child at the time and reported the incident a few hours later to police. Officers have since attended the family address to understand more about the incident and to check on his welfare.

"The suspect is described as male, Asian, in his 20s, about 6ft and had dark hair, facial hair and dark eyes. He was wearing a dark grey tracksuit at the time. CCTV and house-to-house enquiries are underway.

"The neighbourhood team are aware of the incident and plan to carry out patrols in the area. Anyone who witnessed the incident, or was driving in the vicinity and may have dashcam showing the man, is asked to call 101 and quote reference number 5223122486," he added.

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