Edinburgh mother and daughters left 'traumatised' after gang attack in Lindsay Road

Two women, a mother and daughter, were reported to have been assaulted at around 7.45pm on Friday, December 13 outside a property on Lindsay Road. The women said they sustained several injuries including fractured ribs, bruises to their face and hair pulled from their head.

A video shared with the Edinburgh Evening News appears to show a number of youths attacking the pair, punching and kicking the mother and daughter who are on the ground. Onlookers can be heard asking for the group to leave the area and telling the group that the police have been called.

A video taken on Friday, December 13 appears to show a mother and daughter being attacked by a group of youths on Lindsay Road, Edinburgh | Submitted

The mother, 43, said she travelled to Lindsay Road with her daughter, 21, after receiving a call from her 12-year-old daughter who told them she was attacked at a birthday party in the area.

The 21-year-old said: “At the back of eight o'clock, me and my mum got a phone call from my sister in absolute hysterics, screaming and pleading with us to come and get her. She said she had been jumped by a group of people at the party and was hiding in a shop on Lindsay Road.”

After arriving at the scene and checking on the 12-year-old girl, they approached the group who were now on the street, and tried to speak to an adult at the party to find out what had happened.

But after approaching a woman, who they believe had organised the birthday party, they said they were attacked ‘from all angles’ by a group of youths.

The 21-year-old went on: “Before we knew it we were surrounded by about 20 kids. My mum thought they were going to have an adult conversation away from the kids and we were also expecting the police to arrive at any point.

“But when I spoke to the mum her two daughters hit me in the face. My mum put her hand out to block the punches, and the next thing I knew I had about three lassies on top of me while I was getting kicked by about four laddies.

“And when I got up I saw about five of them were on top of my mum. I tried to pull them off, but then the laddies and the lasses were jumping on me and attacking me for the second time.”

Following the incident the mother and two daughters were later picked up by a relative. But the eldest daughter said they were disappointed that police were unable to attend on Friday evening and said the police were called four times by them and other bystanders.

The family told the Evening News: “We believe our story urgently needs to be heard to prevent similar events from happening to others in our community.

“Despite multiple calls to the police both before and during the incident, from us and from members of the public, no effective action was taken, and we were left to face this ordeal alone.

“The assault has left us both with significant injuries to our faces and bodies, as well as deep mental trauma. We feel failed by the authorities, as the police have informed us they are too busy to address this matter. This inaction has only deepened our distress, as we strongly believe this situation could have been prevented had intervention occurred earlier.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 7.45pm on Friday, December 13, officers were called to a report of three people having been assaulted on Lindsay Road, Edinburgh.

“Emergency services attended and a 43-year-old woman, a 21-year-old woman and a 12-year-old girl were treated by paramedics. Extensive enquiries have been carried out to trace all of those involved and further enquiries are continuing, including review of local CCTV footage.” She added: “Officers are following positive lines of enquiry.”