Published by Robert L Senior Reporter on Tuesday 18th March 2025, at 21:00hrs
A 25-year-old man has been arrested at Manchester Airport in connection with the brutal assault of an elderly woman in Middleton earlier this month.
The arrest comes after extensive police work, including hundreds of hours of CCTV trawls and house-to-house inquiries.
The incident occurred at 11:20 am on Thursday, March 6, 2025, on Crow Hill South, when an elderly woman was reportedly attacked in what police believe was an unprovoked assault by a man unknown to her.
Greater Manchester Police officers have worked tirelessly to identify the suspect, leading to the arrest of the 25-year-old upon his arrival at Manchester Airport.
He has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent and is currently in police custody for questioning.
Detective Inspector Kimberley Hines from the Rochdale district stated, “We do believe this to be an unprovoked attack which has left a woman incredibly shaken.”
The victim has been informed of the arrest and is receiving ongoing support from the police.
Investigators are still appealing to the public for assistance, particularly for dashcam footage that may show the suspect’s movements on the day of the assault.
They believe the man walked along Mainway between 10:57 am and 11:01 am, then traveled to Manor Road, and returned to Mainway at 11:18 am, shortly after the attack.
“We know that this incident caused concern for our communities, but I hope that news of this arrest will provide a small measure of comfort to those who have been affected by this,” DI Hines added.
“Our officers remain in the area to conduct further enquiries and offer reassurance, and we are continuing to appeal to the public to assist with our investigation, particularly if you have any dash cam footage from the day, it could be crucial to our investigation.”
Anyone with information or footage is urged to contact the police by calling 101 and quoting log 1007 of 06/03/25.
Alternatively, they can provide information anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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