Sex attack on shop assistant

Officers are hunting the gang involved in the attack

A shop assistant was indecently assaulted by a customer while his two friends watched, police have revealed.

The attack on the 24-year-old took place at lunchtime on Wednesday in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh.

Lothian and Borders Police have appealed for help in tracking down the group, who fled when another customer came into the store.

The three men, who were all in their mid to late 20s, first came into the shop in the Whitepark area at about 0945BST and tried to persuade the shop assistant to give them goods for nothing.

When she refused they kicked over a display stand and left.

But the group returned at 1245BST and made sexual comments towards the victim.

One man, described as 5ft 10in tall with dyed blonde hair and black roots, then indecently assaulted the woman while the other two watched.

'Shocking attack'

All of the suspects spoke with Edinburgh accents and were believed to have been under the influence of drink or drugs.

A police spokeswoman said: "This was a shocking attack on a young woman who is naturally distressed.

"Thankfully a customer entered the shop bringing the incident to an abrupt end.

"We are very keen to speak to her as she may hold vital information as to the identity of the suspects.

"We would also ask anyone who was in the Gorgie area and saw anyone running from a shop or fitting the description of the suspects to contact us as a matter of urgency."

The shop assistant said the man who carried out the attack was about 27-years-old and wore a hooped gold earring with a dangling silver cross on his right ear.

Tattoos

He was wearing a white T-shirt with a multi coloured celtic cross on the front and blue cords and had a lot of blue tattoos on his forearms.

The other two suspects were described as 25 to 27-years-old.

One was of slim build with dark short hair, rotten and missing teeth and had dots tattooed on his left knuckles.

He was wearing dark blue three quarter length jeans, a blue top and was drinking a can of lager.

The other was of medium build with dark brown shoulder length hair and heavy stubble.

He was wearing blue jeans and a brown or black duffle coat.