Bournemouth locals say beach is 'like the Wild West' after sex attacks

Bournemouth locals say beach resort is ‘like the Wild West’ after spate of sexual assaults including of two schoolgirls, aged 10 and 11, as they swam in the sea leave residents fearing for their children’s safety

• Bournemouth beach has seen a spate of sex attack on youngsters this summer 
• Visitors today shared their concerns as they urged authorities to do more

Locals living in one of Britain’s most popular seaside resorts say their town is ‘like the Wild West’ after a string of sex attacks on the beach.

On Sunday, two girls aged ten and 11 say they were sexually assaulted in the sea off Bournemouth beach, leading to a 43-year-old man being arrested.

Earlier this month, police said they were looking for a group of men after a 17-year-old boy claimed he was sexually assaulted in the sea.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old man is awaiting a plea and trial hearing next month after a 15-year-old claimed he raped her in the sea in front of thousands of holidaymakers.

Visitors to Bournemouth beach today expressed their concern over the worrying spate of summertime sex attacks on young people in the sea.

Milly Campbell, 17, from Poole, said the recent spate of assaults is making her and her friends more alert

Gabrielle Johnson, 33, from Bournemouth, said: ‘My daughter is a teenager and it is fashionable to wear hot pants and skimpy clothes and I do worry because you don’t know who is looking at you’

Bournemouth is one of Britain’s most popular getaways, but a recent spike in sexual assaults among young people is concerning visitors

And they called for more police patrols on the prom during the busy summer months to deter offenders from brazenly sexually assaulting bathers.

READ MORE: TWO GIRLS ‘SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IN THE SEA OFF BOURNEMOUTH BEACH’ AS MAN, 43, ARRESTED  

Milly Campbell, 17, from Poole, said: ‘It does make me feel uncomfortable.

‘Lots of teenagers come down here without their parents and I have heard of people getting their drinks spiked.

‘I’m definitely aware of people when I’m on the beach, I’m always looking over my shoulder and I will probably be more alert now.

‘I tend to stick with my friends and I wouldn’t go in the sea if I noticed someone random hanging around.

‘I haven’t really noticed police or council patrols, I think I’ve only ever seen one once, they could definitely do more to keep an eye on things and keep people safe.’

Although Dorset police have made an arrest in connection to Sunday’s incident, beachgoers have urged them to do more to prevent such crimes from happening in the first place.

Others urged the courts to hand out harsher punishments to child sex offenders as a deterrent.

Steve and Jeanette Hacker have five grandchildren who they would be worried about if they went to the beach by themselves.

Jeanette, 66, said: ‘I think that maybe the problem is people let their children go in the water without them.

Jeanette and Steve Hacker say they would not let their five granddaughters out of their sight on the beach

Danielle Haigh, 37, a mother from Bournemouth, said: ‘I do think it’s the way of the world now and men maybe don’t know the line when women are dressed a certain way’

‘We have five granddaughters and I do worry about them, especially our 15-year-old. If I brought them to the beach I definitely wouldn’t let them out of my sight.

READ MORE: MAN, 31, JAILED 18 MONTHS AFTER SEXUALLY ASSAULTING TWO WOMEN ON PACKED BOURNEMOUTH BEACH 

‘I think the council or police could do more patrols on the beach.’

Steve, 70, added: ‘I think the people that carry out these sort of attacks need to be properly punished, not just a slap on the wrist. That would deter others.’

Gabrielle Johnson, a 33-year-old mum from Bournemouth, said: ‘I think it is the time we live in now. My daughter is a teenager and it is fashionable to wear hot pants and skimpy clothes and I do worry because you don’t know who is looking at you.

‘I don’t let her go to the beach by herself, she normally goes with a friend and her mum. I’m lucky she is quite sensible.

‘But I do think it would be good if the police were around more. I don’t know how else we can stop that happening.’

Danielle Haigh, 37, a mother from Bournemouth, said: ‘I do think it’s the way of the world now and men maybe don’t know the line when women are dressed a certain way.

‘I would say to my daughter that there are people like that and you have to take a bit of responsibility for what you wear and how you act.

‘But yeah it is scary if its 10 and 11-year-old girls as they are obviously not flaunting their bodies.

‘I think it would be good if there were places people could access if they feel nervous or uncomfortable about someone – like the safety buses they have on nights out and things like that – an immediate contact young people know to go to so they can feel safe.

Marie Roberts (left), pictured with her daughter and granddaughter, said: said: ‘I think that sort of thing seems to be going on everywhere these days. I think you have to just not leave your kids unsupervised and keep a really close eye on them.’

‘I guess the beach is maybe an easy target because it’s busy and people are distracted and there is so much going on.’

Marie Roberts, a 56-year-old grandmother from Wigan was visiting Dorset with her family and had no idea there had been a spate of sexual assaults.

She said: ‘I think that sort of thing seems to be going on everywhere these days. I think you have to just not leave your kids unsupervised and keep a really close eye on them.

‘I think the justice system has gone out the window and not enough is being done to stop any crime.’

Heather, a 21-year-old university student, said: ‘I’ve been living here for about two years.

‘I tend to come to the beach on days when it’s not busy, I don’t go to the beach at the weekends so I don’t think I would be worried about going in the water but I probably wouldn’t go in on my own.

‘I don’t think I have ever seen police patrolling the beach. It’s a popular beach and people travel from all over so they could be worth having more security on the beach to help people feel safer.’

Nicole, also a 21-year-old student in Bournemouth, said: ‘Personally it wouldn’t put me off going in the sea because I’m a good swimmer and I feel I could kick and scream and get away from somebody if I needed to.

The spate in crimes has led to many people to take to social media to ask whether Bournemouth is no longer safe for visitors

Visitors have called for more police patrols on the prom during the busy summer months to deter offenders from brazenly sexually assaulting bathers

‘I don’t know what could be done about it, I guess maybe the lifeguards could keep an eye, but they already have a duty of care and are busy with that.

‘I don’t know if I would trust the police even if they did patrol the beach more, not with handling sexual assaults.

‘I think parents need to keep a close eye on their kids and make sure they are aware of stranger danger.’

Henry Tran, 20, who works at Harry Ramsdens on the seafront, said young women had previously sought refuge in the restaurant from creepy men who had been following them.

He said: ‘I do remember there being a few incidents last summer with people being approached in the toilets and we had a couple of girls who came in here and asked if they could hide because someone was following them.

‘We also had a couple incidents with staff feeling threatened by someone watching them.

‘I think it would be nice if there were more patrols. We do see the security guys coming by, they patrol fairly regularly and we are on good terms with them. It does help to reassure people.’

As well as the sexual assaults on the two young girls, a 17-year-old boy reported being touched inappropriately while in the water on June 17.

On the same day a man approached two teenage girls outside the Harry Ramsden’s and attempted to touch one inappropriately before trying to slap the other.

A 30-year-old from London was later arrested on suspicion of assault and attempted sexual assault. He has been released on police bail.

The spate in crimes has led to many people to take to social media to ask whether Bournemouth is no longer safe for visitors.

Sue Flynn said: ‘When are Dorset Police going to do something about what’s happening in Bournemouth lately? Never a police presence there, just appeals after the incidents take place.’

Colette Letch said: ‘It’s like the bloody Wild West down there now. I can’t believe the police can’t walk round the town more often. The police station is right in the middle of town. Most expensive place to live in the UK. Nice one.’

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