Woman speaks out to raise awareness and prevent others from going through anything similar

An Ottery teenager has described how she was left shaken and scared after suffering an assault in the town last week.

Police are investigating an incident in which victim Ellisha O’Brien was approached by three men in Yonder Street.

Officers say the suspects attempted to speak to her, made comments of a sexual nature and grabbed her by the shoulder as she called for help.

Ellisha, 18, has spoken of the ordeal in a bid to raise awareness and prevent others from going through anything similar. She said that no-one should feel ‘victimised and hurt in such a disgusting way’.

Ellisha said the men were shouting ‘disgusting things’ and followed her around the square and up to the Co-operative supermarket. She added: “Nothing like this has ever happened to me before.

“The main reason I made a deal about it was to raise awareness for other people. I was left shaken and scared, in tears on the phone, but I just thought to myself that it could have happened to someone so much more vulnerable than me. If I never spoke up and they did it to someone else, I would be heartbroken.

“It could have come off a lot worse if it was at night, but I believe that people need to be aware that things like this can still happen in small towns like Ottery and Sidmouth. I just wanted to keep everyone else safe. No-one should be victimised and hurt like this in such a disgusting way.”

Ellisha said she did nothing to provoke the men and does not know why they harassed her.

The incident took place on Friday, July 22, at around 5.15pm.

A Devon and Cornwall Police spokesman said officers would like to identify three men, described as all being in their early-20s. Two were fair-haired, white men wearing tracksuit bottoms and T-shirts and the other was of Middle Eastern appearance and wearing jeans and a T-shirt, said officers.

Anyone with any information is asked to call 101 or email 101@dc.police.uk, crime reference: CR/050076/16.