Police cordon off north-east school in sex assault investigation

North-east police investigated allegations of a serious sexual assault on a 14-year-old girl outside an Aberdeenshire school yesterday.

But they subsequently issued a statement confirming no crime had been committed.

The front entrance of Banchory Academy was cordoned off for 12 hours after police were called to the school in the early hours of Sunday.

One nearby resident, who did not want to be named, said a friend’s daughter had told her of the incident.

She said: “I didn’t hear anything, but just saw the police there when I woke up and the area was all taped off.”

Some residents in the town initially expressed shock at hearing the news.

But, early in the afternoon, a spokeswoman for Police Scotland confirmed they were no longer looking into the incident.

She said: “At around 1.30am on Sunday, April 2, police were called to a report of an incident within the grounds of Banchory Academy.

“Our inquiries [have] established no crimes have been committed.

“Sergeant John Kearney would like to take the opportunity to thank the members of the public for their assistance.”