Girl, 12, has ‘liquid substance’ thrown at her ‘while walking with father in Bishop’s Stortford town centre

A man threw a “liquid substance” at a 12-year-old girl, splashing her eye and body, as she was walking with her father in Bishop’s Stortford town centre on Monday evening.

The man approached the dad and his two children in Bridge Street, near Jackson Square shopping centre, between 6.30pm and 7pm and, by way of distracting them, asked if it was raining.

He then threw a liquid – which smelled like alcohol – at the girl, which hit her jacket and face. The father went to make sure she was OK and that the substance was not dangerous.

The attacker then walked around the corner and threw a liquid at a man, which went over his face and clothes. The father spoke to the other victim, expressing his shock at the incident.

Details of the incident were posted on Facebook by Loraine Brown, who said the dad’s first thought was concern for his daughter’s wellbeing. He used the customer facilities at Waitrose to wash her face.

One woman said she believed the same man had approached her in Waitrose car park at about 6.20pm and poured what she suspected was cider over her car.

She said she had seen him around town before, describing him as fairly small with brown hair and glasses.

Another resident posted that he had seen a man of the same description walking along Rye Street last Wednesday morning carrying a “big plastic cider bottle”, adding he was shocked to see him drinking at 9am.

A man driving through town said he saw the man in handcuffs after apparently after being arrested.

A spokesman for Hertfordshire Constabulary said: “Police were called yesterday (Monday March 10) following an incident in Bishop’s Stortford.

“At around 6.30pm, a substance had reportedly been thrown at two people near to the Black Lion pub on Bridge Street.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances of the incident.”