Man Threatens Nine-Year-Old Girl at Edinburgh Canal

A nine-year-old girl recounted a “petrifying” experience where a man threatened to throw her into an Edinburgh canal. The incident occurred last week when the schoolgirl was cycling with her mother along the Union Canal at Meggetland. A man, described as being in his 50s or 60s, obstructed her way. She described him as menacing and angry, stating he yelled at her that the path was exclusively for pedestrians. Police Scotland confirmed they are investigating the event, and community police officers have increased patrols in the vicinity. The mother and child, whose identities are being withheld upon request, encountered the man on Thursday evening while returning home from football training, a half-mile journey. The nine-year-old informed BBC Scotland News that as she attempted to cycle around him, he intentionally moved into her path. He then told her she was cycling too quickly and that the path was designated solely for pedestrians. The girl described the man, stating, “He was eating a packet of Walkers cheese and onion crisps and he wasn’t blinking.” She continued, “Then he said the ‘F word’ and I’m going to throw you into the canal. I was petrified.” She further detailed his appearance: “He had big bulgy hazel eyes, a bald head and was huge. I thought he was literally going to pick me up and throw me into the canal.” She reported being too frightened to respond with anything beyond “OK.” Upon her 44-year-old mother reaching them, the man threatened to push both of them into the canal. The mother noted that his description matched that of an individual who pushed people into the canal in 2022, prompting her to ask if he was the “canal pusher.” She recounted, “He got even more angry and puffed up a bit more and looked like he was actually going to chuck me in and my daughter.” She added, “In that moment I realised actually I’m in big trouble potentially and I need to get away. It was very scary.” She then stated, “I told him we would walk instead of cycling and we edged away.” Authorities reportedly do not believe this recent incident is linked to those from 2022. As the mother attempted to contact the police, a runner and another cyclist paused to report that they had also been threatened by the same man. The canal path is designated as part of National Cycle Route 754. This event marks the most recent in a sequence of comparable incidents occurring along the Craiglockhart/Meggetland segment of the 31-mile (51km) canal. Inspector Keith Forrester of Police Scotland verified the incident concerning the nine-year-old. He stated that the police are cognizant of other reports detailing similar conduct in the vicinity, but clarified that these are not connected. He indicated that investigations are progressing and that CCTV footage from the area is being examined. Inspector Forrester commented, “We are aware of concerns in the community following reports recently of assaults and threatening behaviour on footpaths along the Union Canal in the Edinburgh area.” He concluded, “Community policing teams are carrying out additional, high visibility patrols of the area.”