Red paint 'brothel' attacks on flats 'not linked'

The paint attack on Stonegate House happened at the end of September

Police have ruled out a link between two vandalism attacks on apartment blocks in Bradford city centre.

In both cases red paint was thrown and the words 'brothel' or 'borthel' and some numbers daubed on walls or windows in black spray paint.

The addresses in Stone Street and Rawson Place are within walking distance of each other but the incidents happened more than a month apart.

West Yorkshire Police said no suspect had been identified in the first incident but two men were being sought in connection with the second.

Flat owner Andrew Mitchell outside the entrance to Stonegate House which has now been cleaned

Andrew Mitchell owns a flat in Stonegate House, Stone Street, where the first attack took place on September 27.

He said: "We don't really know what these people are getting at.

"Whether they're claiming there's a brothel in the place or a 'borthel', as they're calling it.

"We've looked into this and had the police go in there and they claim that they've not found anything."

Mr Mitchell, 67, bought his flat when the complex was first built in 2006.

He said: "Over the last decade we've had nothing but vandalism. We just can't seem to get any headway with this. It's just been deteriorating, it's been degraded."

The retired engineer, who now rents his property, said he found it difficult to believe that there was not a link.

He added: "It's a strange one isn't it? 'Borthel' - brothel spelt wrongly, and you look at the lettering in both incidents and it's very similar writing.

"I mean, two incidents where red paint's thrown and the word 'borthel' is used. Not linked? There's got to be something there hasn't there?"

Red paint was thrown over two doorways and the Bradford Dementia Hub in Rawson Place in November

The second attack on an apartment block in Rawson Place took place overnight on 13-14 November and also involved the Bradford Dementia Hub offices on the ground floor of the building. The organisation has been ruled out as a target.

A West Yorkshire Police spokeswoman said: "No suspect has been identified in the Stonegate House incident.

"There is nothing to suggest a link between that incident in Stone Street from September and the one in Rawson Place.

"There is an ongoing investigation and two males, dressed in black clothing, have been seen on CCTV."

She said police are appealing to the public for any information.

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