Girl assaulted in North Lanarkshire as officers appeal for information

We are appealing for information after the assault of a girl in Cumbernauld.

Around 4pm on Wednesday, 29 October, 2025, a 14-year-old girl was walking on a path next to North Road, close to St Maurice’s Pond, when she was approached by a man who grabbed her wrist and tried to pull her away.

She managed to get away and told her parents, who reported the incident.

Extensive enquiries are under way and officers are appealing to anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward.

The man is described as white, around 50-years-old, around 5ft 10in tall with short grey hair, shaved with a flick at the front. He was wearing a black rain jacket and spoke in a Scottish accent, and may have had a lisp.

Chief Inspector Gareth Brown said: "This was a terrifying ordeal for the girl involved and I want to reassure the local community we are doing all we can to trace the man responsible.

"There will be increased patrols in the area and anyone with concerns can approach these officers. 

"We are asking anyone who was in the area around that time and saw a man fitting the description to please get touch. Anyone with dash cam footage should check to see if they captured anything that could be useful in our investigation."

Information can be passed on by calling 101, quoting reference 2297 of 29 October, 2025.