Knee in groin stops attack on girl

A man who police believe tried to molest a teenage girl on a suburban Hastings street was sent packing when she put her self-defence training to use, kneeing him in the groin and punching him in the face.

Detective Jeff Foley said the incident was reported to have happened in Caroline Rd, Mahora, about 4.30pm on Thursday, October 29.

Police have been told a man on a bicycle stopped, made "inappropriate" comments to the 16-year-old and tried to pull her into bushes at the side of the road.

"The girl immediately sensed she was in danger and kneed the man in the groin and punched him in the face," Mr Foley said yesterday. "The girl then ran to a nearby house to get help." The man is understood to have fled the area.

He was thought to be 20 to 30 years old and of medium height and build, and wore an "oversized" black hoody.

Police are seeking sightings of the man or any other information that could relate to the incident.

Mr Foley praised the girl's defensive capabilities, saying: "This is a great example of how young people, especially females, should be aware of personal safety and know what to do if they are approached or attacked."

"This could have turned nasty, but the girl was able to take this man by surprise and essentially stopped the attack from progressing," he said. "In this case the girl was thankful that she had done a course and was able to use what she had learnt."