I was driving north to south in Westbourne Villas, Hove, on the night of August 19 at 10.50pm when two missiles were thrown at my car by a girl of about 16 years.

I stopped the car to talk to her and was threatened with a glass bottle but not before she had emptied half the contents over me.

As I made an attempt to defend myself, she and the nine-year-old boy she was with ran away.

My passenger was a witness.

So was a young man who saw the incident from a first-floor window on the west side of the road.

He told me he recognised the young woman and gave me her address - a flat in a house just a few doors away.

So we have an attempt to cause criminal damage, an attempted assault with a glass bottle, an address for the offender and three witnesses who would be willing to give evidence in court.

When I reported the incident by telephone to the police a few minutes later, they told me there was nothing they could do. Once again, the police are refusing to register alleged crimes they do not consider worthy of investigation.

I believe the assault I suffered is not an isolated incident. It is possible that others who live in or visit Westbourne Villas have been victims of this young woman so I am now appealing to anybody who has suffered a similar fate to contact me on 07773 850 307. If there are enough of us, we can force the police to act.

Meanwhile, shouldn't the police want to know why a nine-year-old boy is out causing mischief at night?

When are the police going to talk to these young people's parents in the hope of making them act more responsibly?

-Gerald E Howard, Hove