Police are investigating claims three boys as young as five were attacked in an Angus playpark – because one of the victims has red hair.
The youngsters, aged five, nine and 10, were reportedly punched, kicked, spat on and knocked to the ground at Davidson Park in Kirriemuir on Saturday.
The furious mum and aunt of the victims says the boys are now terrified to go back to the park on Glamis Road.
Katie Simpson, 35, says her son and two nephews were assaulted by three older boys after going to the park to play football.
Teens ‘hurled abuse’ at younger boys
She said: “The boys were set upon by three older boys, aged around 13.
“They picked on the children because one of my nephews has red hair.
“These older boys began bullying and hurling abuse at the boys and called my nephew a ‘ginger c***’.
“They also took their football and threw it over a wall.”
Katie says things escalated when the three younger boys were told to leave the park by the older ones, who began punching and kicking them, and spitting at them.
She said: “They grabbed my five-year-old by the t-shirt and threw him to the ground.
“All the boys have been left with cuts and bruises. One of my nephews was left with a swollen head after he was punched.”
Katie says the boys eventually managed to run home.
Victims left ‘terrified’
She added: “They have all been left terrified and none of them want to go back to the park again.
“I certainly won’t let them go unaccompanied. What should have been a nice trip to the park to play football on a summer’s day turned into a nightmare for them.
“We only moved to Kirriemuir from Montrose a year ago and we are really not liking living here – there have been other incidents.
“It’s obviously only a handful of children causing the problems but already we don’t feel safe living in Kirriemuir.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We are aware of the matter and looking into it.”
