Police in Dundee are still searching for the man who attacked a 22-year-old woman in a city centre pub on March 9.
They have a close-up photograph of the attacker taken from The Social’s CCTV system but are not releasing it for publication as it doesn’t meet Crown Office criteria for issuing pictures of crime suspects.
The attack happened late on the Wednesday night in the premises in South Tay Street. The young woman was spending an evening with a friend in the busy pub when, without warning, she found herself the victim of a violent attack.
The woman, who is from Monifieth, has requested her identity to remain private.
In an interview she explained how one minute she was having an enjoyable drink and chat with her companion and the next she had been punched on the face by her mystery attacker-and worse was to follow.
“It was late in the evening and we were having a nice chat when all of a sudden I felt a splash. Someone had thrown drink on me,” she said.
“I looked round and there was a group of servicemen standing at the bar but there was a smaller man beside them and he seemed to be the one who had thrown the drink.
“I said something like ‘what do you think you are doing?’ to him and he came and punched me in the face. I was shocked. I couldn’t believe what was happening.
“The blow was more on my forehead than over my eyes or nose, but it was sore and I was stunned.
“It took a couple of seconds for me to realise what had happened and when I did, and saw him next to me I said to him, ‘You’re an animal.’ At that, he lunged at me and pulled at my hair, and a clump of it came out.
“The Social’s security staff came over, but they must have misunderstood what was happening.”
Shaken by her ordeal, the woman went home and contacted the police when she woke the next morning.
Officers spoke to staff at The Social and have been given footage from their CCTV system that night. From one they have obtained a still photograph of the suspect as he passed in front of a camera at close quarters.
The Courier spoke to the police about the incident a week ago, but we have been unable to obtain a copy of the photograph. The Crown Office has supported the police’s position on the issue of photographs of crime suspects.Staying strongAlthough traumatised by the attack the woman is determined to overcome it.
“I’m still going out because I don’t want him and men like him to think that they’ve won,” she said. “The wounds are healing but I’ve still got the bald patch in my scalp. I’ve changed my hairstyle to cover it up.
“The more I thought about it afterwards, the man who attacked me was behaving like a nuisance before he struck me.
“He was larking about, getting on people’s nerves I think he was trying to wind up the servicemen in the pub but they were ignoring him.”
“I would appeal to anyone who might know him to contact the police as soon as they can, in case he goes and attacks another woman.”Anyone who witnessed the incident in The Social that night should contact the police on 0300 111 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.