NEWS: MSP Anne Moffat attacked

Mark McLaughlin
Edinburgh Evening News
May 26, 2008

POLICE were today hunting a gang of up to six youths who mugged East Lothian MP Anne Moffat on a coastal path near her home in Cockenzie.

Ms Moffat, 50, was walking on the path between the Old Harbour and New Harbour in the village between 8pm and 9pm on Friday when she was confronted by the youths. She was knocked unconscious and suffered broken ribs, cuts and bruises. Her attackers made off with her watch, money and jewellery.

Ms Moffat managed to raise the alarm by contacting a friend via her mobile phone and she was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, where she was kept in overnight. She said: "The physical scars will heal eventually but these people are the scum of society and the fact they are going around my village is awful. I feel shaken up and anxious. Imagine if it had been a frail old lady they had attacked."

Ms Moffat said she had gone out for a run and a walk after finishing work in her constituency office when she became aware of the gang coming towards her.

"I heard them before I saw them, they were loud and raucous," she said.

"I did not want to make eye contact and just wanted to get past them but they were not having that. The next thing I knew they were jostling about and I fell and banged my head on a rock."

Ms Moffat said she believed she may have been unconscious for up to half an hour.

"When I came round I was bruised and had injuries to my legs, ribs, head and face," she added.

"They took jewellery - a necklace, rings and a watch."

Ms Moffat, who also had GBP 20 stolen, said when she came round she had tried to dial 999 from her mobile phone, but could not focus as blood was running down her face. She pressed the redial button and managed to contact a friend who raised the alarm.

"I got taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, but passed out a couple of times between them finding me and getting to the hospital."

Ms Moffat said her attackers may have belonged to a local gang known as The Untouchables and did not completely rule out the fact she may have been targeted.

"I suppose there's a slight chance," she said. "I suppose those that have been nasty towards me politically could have said 'duff her up' or something like that.

"But there was no way they would know I was going out at that time of the night."