A TEENAGE girl has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting an 80-year-old man – leaving him with a bloodied nose and black eye – in a nasty Coventry city centre attack.
The 19-year-old was arrested at around 6.30pm today (August 16) after police traced her to an address in Gloucester.
She will be taken to a West Midlands Police station where she will be questioned about the attack in Trinity Street, Coventry, on Saturday evening (August 10) when the elderly victim was punched in the face and shoved to the ground.
A video of the attack – recorded by a passer-by on their mobile phone – had been circulated widely on social media throughout today and met with a wave of revulsion from viewers.
Coventry Police Chief Superintendent Andy Nicholson, said: “This was a despicable, violent attack on an elderly man in broad daylight. The victim is an 80-year-old man – he was left with a bloodied nose and a black eye.
“A video showing the assault spread rapidly on social media and quite rightly the offender’s actions are being condemned by everyone who’s viewed it.”
The attack, which appears unprovoked, happened at around 8.30pm on Saturday evening near Sainsbury’s in Coventry’s Trinity Street.
Police are still keen to hear from people who witnessed the incident and moments leading up to the attack – and have urged anyone who shared the video or still images of the assault to remove them from social media accounts as they could hinder the enquiry.
Anyone with information should contact West Midlands Police on the 101 number or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
with thanks : West Midland Police : LINK
