A WOMAN whose teenage daughter was sexually assaulted in Ipswich has today criticised police saying she does not believe they dealt with the incident seriously.

A WOMAN whose teenage daughter was sexually assaulted in Ipswich has today criticised police saying she does not believe they dealt with the incident seriously.

The mother says that although police officers turned up at the incident they did not tell her to preserve any of the clothes her daughter was wearing and told her it could be days before they are in contact again.

It was on Friday shortly after 7.30pm that the 15-year-old girl, who is not allowed to be identified for legal reasons, was walking along Cobbold Street with her friend.

The pair were walking to the cinema in the town centre when a man came up to them and indecently exposed himself.

He then pushed the girl on to a bonnet of a car, grabbed her breasts and performed a lewd sex act upon himself.

A woman driving passed noticed the incident and stopped and called the police who arrived on the scene and took a statement from those involved.

The Ipswich mother said: “The police phoned me to tell me about the incident and I spoke to my daughter who said she was O.K and wanted to continue on to the cinema.

“But after I put the phone down I started to think about preserving her clothes for DNA evidence and called them back.

“My daughter was told it didn't matter. She was also told that because it was a Friday night it would not be until Monday morning that the police would be back in contact. The officer dealing with it said he was on leave for a week so it could be even longer.”

The police got in contact two days later and then asked for the clothes the teenager was wearing.

Her mother said: “To me it felt as if they were saying the only way they would catch him is if he was to do it again.

“He may be a serious sex offender and they didn't seem too concerned to get any evidence from my daughter's clothes or come around and deal with it soon after the event.

“They did treat my daughter well when they were on the scene but I am so concerned about their attitude to catching this man that I am going to file an official complaint.

“After all, just because my daughter is streetwise and could handle this situation doesn't mean others would be able to.”

The Suffolk Constabulary declined to comment on this incident.

The man was wearing a dark khaki jacket and had a piercing in his left eyebrow.

He was around 30 years old, 6ft, with dark brown hair.

Anyone in the area at the time who saw someone matching the description should call police on 01473 613500.