TV appeal over brick attack thug

Oct 24 2006 By Mark Cowan, Birmingham Mail

THE hunt for a dangerous thug who pounced on two women and battered them with a brick is to go national.

Police are now liaising with producers of BBC1's Crimewatch programme over an appeal for the sick yob.

A pregnant woman was attacked as she pushed her young son in a buggy along a quiet tree-lined footpath in Great Barr, Birmingham, last month.

The 26-year-old was left with a deep gash when the thug attacked her from behind and knocked her to the ground in Trehurst Avenue.

Three months earlier, a 62-year-old woman was also hit over the head with a housebrick as she walked along the same path in an identical attack. She suffered a broken leg.

Police have linked the two incidents but have been left baffled by their motive.

Both attacks were unprovoked and from behind with a housebrick. Nothing was stolen in either incident and the man fled.

It may be that the assailant has mental health problem but Det Insp Bob Bradford said he was "clearly a danger" to the public.

Now police are planning to issue an appeal to viewers of the show in the hope of a crucial breakthrough in the case.

Det Insp Bradford, from Thornhill Road CID, said the attacks were "gratuitous". The appeal is expected to run next month.

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