Boy, 12, mugged by masked thug who rubbed his face in mud before stealing trainers
An investigation has been launched after an Edinburgh schoolboy was mugged for his possessions by an attacker in a ski mask.
Dylan Stoddart, 12 a first year pupil at Holyrood High School, Edinburgh, was waiting for a friend in a park before the shocking attack took place.
The youngster was grabbed from behind and knocked to the ground, then had his arms ‘locked’ while the robber, thought to be a teen or young adult, stole his Adidas trainers.
Dylan was forced to walk home to Craigentinny, Edinburgh, in just his socks.
His plain black Adidas trainers were stolen, along with his Vodafone Smart first 7 phone.
The attacker forced Dylan’s face into the muddy ground, giving him a split lip and wobbly tooth.
But brave Dylan kicked back at his attacker, who told him to ‘stop kicking you little sh*t’.
His outraged mum, Stacey, 30, said her son has been ‘traumatised’ by his ordeal in Lochend Park, Edinburgh.
Dylan said: 'When I was waiting on my friend I was sitting on the hill but got bored and started walking home.
'When I got down off the hill I got a punch on the mouth and fell to the ground.
'He held my hands and locked them behind my back then started taking my stuff.
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'He managed to get my phone, keys and shoes then rubbed my face into the mud.
'I was facing down hoping he wouldn’t do anything else and when I looked up he had left.
'I felt scared and felt sick and still feel scared about going out. I’m still shocked that it happened to me.'
Student Stacey, who also works as a bartender, said: 'You hear horror stories of people carrying knives but not people mugging children.
'Dylan looks a little older than his age and maybe they didn’t realise how old he was but it’s still wrong.
'He was shaking and crying and couldn’t get out what had happened.
'I had to calm him down then he said somebody came behind him and punched him to the ground before stealing all his stuff.
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'It was a traumatic experience for the both of us.'
She added: 'He doesn’t want to go out to play anymore and just wants to stay in the house.
'If anything it hurts me as I wasn’t there to protect him.
'I texted him ten minutes previously and have a car so would’ve went and picked him up because it was getting dark.'
'The fact he’s walked home for about ten or 15 minutes alone, with no shoes on, mud on his face and nobody stopped to see if he was OK, it annoyed me.'
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: 'We are investigating following a report that a 12-year-old boy was robbed.
'Inquiries are ongoing.'
