Escaped trafficking victim found 'distressed' in Dunblane Published duration 24 September 2018

image copyright Google image caption The woman was found after seeking help from a member of the public in Dunblane.

A victim of human trafficking has been found in Dunblane after she escaped from where she was being held.

The 21-year-old Vietnamese woman who was 'distressed' had sought help from a member of the public when she was found on Thursday 13 September.

Detectives, who are still trying to establish what had happened to the woman, said they believe she had travelled from outside the town.

They are appealing to motorists who may have seen her on the A9 heading south.

Police were contacted after the woman was discovered at about 22:55 in the town's Cockburn Avenue.

They have since established she is the victim of human trafficking and had managed to escape from where she was being housed, before being found in Dunblane.

Inquiries so far suggest that she may have come from north of the town, possibly the rural Tayside area, police said.

Det Ch Insp Nigel Thacker said: "At the moment, we are continuing to liaise with the young woman as to her ordeal and try to establish a more definitive location as to where she has fled from.

"As such we are focussing our attention on the A9 area and would be eager to hear from anyone who remembers seeing a lone female walking in a distressed state in the hours before 10:55 on 13 September.

"Similarly, anyone with any other relevant information should also contact police immediately.

"At this time there is nothing to suggest Dunblane itself is central to this inquiry, nor have we identified any other victims from the region.

"However, it's essential we identify those responsible to establish if any other individuals require our assistance. As such, if you know anything, then please get in touch."