AN AMERICAN exchange student was attacked on Saturday night after attempting to stop a man urinating on St Giles’ Cathedral. The 20-year old student – who had only recently arrived in Scotland - was on a night out with friends, when he was assaulted near the Cathedral, which sits on the Royal Mile.

The older male, who Lothian & Borders Police are currently seeking information about, punched the student repeatedly in the face after being challenged about his behaviour. He continued punching the student after he fell to the ground, shocking passers-by, before running from the scene by way of Anchor Close.

The suspect has been described as white, around 25 years old with short blonde hair. He was wearing a black leather jacket, blue jeans and spoke with a Scottish accent.

The victim lost three teeth in the attack. A police spokesperson said "The victim has suffered some painful injuries to his face and will need dental work to replace his teeth. Given the time this incident happened, there were potentially a number of people leaving the various pubs and establishments in the area.

“Anyone who witnessed the assault or has information that can assist in identifying the suspect is asked to contact police immediately.”

The Very Reverend Gilleasbuig Macmillan told the Edinburgh Evening News that “It is a very unfortunate incident, but one should be careful before taking the law into one’s own hands.”

Anyone with any information can contact Lothian and Borders Police on 0131 311 3131, or the charity Crimestoppers in confidence and anonymity on 0800 555 111.