Boy, 13, denies sexually assaulting women walking home from Shropshire college

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies nine counts of sexual assault, two counts of attempted rape and a charge of assault by battery on five women between December 15, 2022 and January 19 this year.

Kidderminster Youth Court heard on Tuesday how a number of the boy's victims were attacked as they left a Shropshire college.

One victim, who also cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court how she was on a footpath walking away from the college early in the evening of January 17 when she was attacked.

Prosecutor, Mr Alex Warren, said the woman was heading in the general direction of the hospital when she was grabbed by the boy who forced her to the floor.

The woman told the court: "He was grabbing my jumper and coat and was trying to pull them off. I was saying I just wanted to go home," she said.

Judge Ian Strongman was told how the young woman identified the boy's school uniform, and that the attack only stopped when two passers-by arrived on the scene and the boy fled.

The court was then told that on the next day, January 18, another young woman was attacked in Haybridge Road at around 5.20pm, leaving her with severe bruising.

She told the court: "I felt like there was someone watching me. I looked back and there was a young man around 10 metres behind me."

She said her first thought was to protect her bag on her shoulder as she feared the boy was a potential thief.

But she added: "When I saw this young man I decided to cross the road, but he crossed too and I understood then that he was following me."

She said the next thing she knew was being grabbed. She told the court: "I screamed because it was hurting so much. Afterwards I could not talk properly as I had screamed so loudly. I said to him, what are you doing? He said something but I couldn't hear what he said but his eyes were very aggressive."

She then took out her phone to take pictures of the boy who walked back across the road. She added: "I was very concerned. I was in shock and thought he would run away but he didn't, he just walked back up the road at normal walking speed."

A day later on January 19, another woman was also attacked after leaving the college.

The court was played a video interview where the woman explained to police how she feared she was going to be raped.

"I was walking down the road and I was aware of someone behind me," she said. "I then felt a hand on me. I was shocked and turned around and said do not do that, but he was saying how beautiful I was and he tried to kiss my neck. He asked my name and if I had a boyfriend. He then started grabbing me. I was trying to keep his hands away from me and we ended up on the floor. He was on top of me and grabbing at my leggings with one hand while the other was around my neck."

She told the officers interviewing her that the boy was grabbing her and when asked what she thought he was attempting to do, she replied: "Rape me probably."

She added: "I was yelling help. I was scared and thought, oh, my God, what is happening, how do I get out of this?"

The victim said she managed to prise the boy's hands from her and get to her feet before kicking her attacker in the side. She left her bag and headphones then ran towards a woman walking her dog.

She said the boy casually walked up to her and the stranger with the dog and handed back the bag and headphones before walking away.

Kidderminster Youth Court had previously heard this week how the boy, who is currently on remand in the care of the local authority, was accused of attacking two more women in Telford.

One of these victims was attacked on December 17 where the boy is alleged to have committed another sexual assault, and the other on January 18, where he is accused of sexual assault and assault by battery.

The case continues.