Twisted thug grabbed Down’s Syndrome girl, 7, and threw her into the road as she was walking with her dad
Her dad has made an emotional appeal to find the thug who scared his seven-year-old daughter as they walked in Sunderland
A LITTLE girl who has Down's Syndrome was grabbed by a stranger and thrown into the road as she walked hand-in-hand with her dad.
Her dad, Alan Dale, has made an emotional appeal to find the thug who scared his seven-year-old daughter as they walked in Sunderland.
Skye Preston and her dad were approached from behind by a man before she was hurled to the ground, banging her head and scraping her knee and hands.
The youngster was left shaken by the assault, which happened at 11.15am on Friday in Sunderland as she was leaving the city's Eye Infirmary.
Alan said: "I was holding her hand at the time, but he just came up, grabbed her, and threw her into the road and shouted at her.
"She fell down on her front and banged her hands and face.
"She was quite shaken up from it, but because of her disability I don't think she realised what she was going on.
"It was just the shock of her falling over."
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The dad, who lives with partner Cordelia Preston, 47, in Bearpark, Durham, added: "After she fell I picked her up as quick as I could and checked her over.
"She kept saying 'ow' because one of her hands hurt and her knees were scraped, but she could walk normally and move her fingers.
"Once I realised she was OK, I shouted after the man and walked down the road to see if I could see him, and then I phoned the police.
"They came and met us outside the Alexandra Pub within five to 10 minutes and took us to the station.
"It's a horrible thing to have happened to her and I just hope the police catch him so we can have justice."
The offender is described by police as a male in his early twenties.
He was wearing a grey hooded top with a large Nike logo on the front, grey tracksuit bottoms, black trainers with a gold Nike logo on and a black baseball cap.
Neighbourhood Sergeant Neil Hudspeth said: "We simply won't tolerate attacks like this happening in our community.
"An innocent seven-year-old has been walking with her father when for no reason she has been pushed to the ground by someone who can only be described as a thug.
"We are doing all we can to find the person responsible and would urge anyone who has any information to please come forward and speak to us."
Anyone with information should call or police on 101 quoting reference 371 091216, or Crimestoppers.
Earlier this month a schoolboy was “left for dead” after being mowed down by a stolen motorbike in a horror hit and run.
Jake Jones, 11, suffered devastating injuries in the smash as he walked home from school in Birmingham last week.
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