Arabic version: توقيف فتى على خلفية محاولة اعتداء مزعومة في كويونغ

According to ABC News, police have arrested a 13-year-old boy over an alleged attempted sexual assault in Melbourne’s south-east last month. Victoria Police said the boy was arrested on Thursday morning and released pending further enquiries.

The alleged incident occurred near Gardiners Creek in Kooyong on July 14. Police said a 67-year-old Toorak woman and a 39-year-old Glen Iris woman were walking with eight dogs when a person attacked them.

The women reported that a male jumped from a bush and put his arms around one of them before being pushed away, police said. After allegedly attempting to grab the other woman, the person was chased by the dogs into a nearby tunnel beneath the Monash Freeway.

Police said the dogs tore off a piece of the alleged assailant’s clothing as he fled. Video showing a person being chased away by dogs after the alleged assault circulated widely.

Police are investigating whether the boy may be linked to other reported incidents of a similar nature. Acting Detective Senior Sergeant Andrew Wise said information from the public, including Crime Stoppers reports, had greatly assisted the investigation.