A mother has described her fear after a man named Mestafa Salim wearing an electronic ankle tag harassed her and her two young daughters on a Bolton street before being arrested — with police reportedly telling her he faces court and likely deportation.
The woman was walking along Bury Road on Saturday morning with her ten-year-old daughter Laylah and toddler Millie, who was in a pram, when the man approached and began behaving in an intimidating manner. She says he got in her face, asked whether she had a husband, followed them along the street and laughed in a way she described as terrifying. She screamed at him to leave them alone.
Greater Manchester Police have confirmed that Mestafa Salim, born 18 October 1997, of no fixed abode, has been charged with common assault following an incident on Bury Road, Bolton on Saturday 2 May. He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Manchester and Salford Magistrates Court today.
Her partner Liam later spotted the same man further along the road while driving past, and called Greater Manchester Police. Officers attended and arrested him. Photos and videos of the arrest, which have since circulated widely on social media, clearly show a black electronic ankle tag on the man’s leg. He is reported to have shouted about his visa during the arrest.
The mother said police told her the man would appear in court and was likely to face deportation following proceedings. She has since spoken publicly about her fears for her children’s safety and urged others in the area to remain vigilant.
Electronic ankle tags are used in the United Kingdom for a range of purposes, including immigration enforcement, monitoring of asylum seekers on bail and the supervision of individuals subject to removal proceedings. The visible tag has prompted significant discussion online about how the man came to be at liberty in the area.
Salim is before magistrates this Monday morning.
