A MAN who was grabbed in the crotch and propositioned for sex while walking his dog in York said he believes his assailant was a teenage boy posing as a woman.

And the victim, a 29-year-old salesman, was concerned that the next man who is approached may react violently to the unwanted sexual advances.

The attacker is being described as a woman by police.

The victim, who did not wish to be named, said he felt in no way physically threatened during the incident, which occurred on Sunday evening on a path off Water Lane, York, even though it took him totally by surprise.

He said: "I don't know whether this person was male or female. I said to the police that this person said they were female and said they were 30 and from Hull. But personally I think it was a bloke aged between 14 and 18."

The attacker, who gave her name as Jane, told the man that the pathway was flooded, then started to follow him and make increasingly obscene sexual comments.

The victim said: "I saw a neighbour of mine so I made a beeline for them and said: 'Just stay away from me, you're a bloke.' But he said he wasn't and pulled his coat open. He had a blue sweater on underneath and said: 'I told you I am a girl, I just haven't developed yet.'

"Then he grabbed my crotch. I said get away from me, and I just walked off. Even if it was a female, I still wouldn't have done anything about it.

"I went over to my neighbour and the guy just disappeared.

"I wasn't going to bother calling the police, but if it's a young lad he could've approached anyone. Someone could have taken him into the woods and killed him.

"He obviously has a problem. I didn't feel threatened by him but I was totally surprised, I just wanted to get away." A total of five men have contacted police to say they were approached.

And another man has contacted the Evening Press to say the same thing happened to him about four months ago and the woman seemed "disturbed".

He said: "Although, I have not seen the woman since or heard of any other similar incidents until reading your report, I feel that it is surely only a matter of time before such a 'proposal' could be the cause of great harm to her."

Sergeant Colin Ventress, of York Police, said most of the men said they were approached by a female rather than a male, although he would not rule anything out.

He said: "It's not impossible, but she has been described as a woman. She's putting herself at enormous risk doing this."

The woman is described as having mousey brown hair cut in a bowl style with a spotty complexion. She was wearing glasses and a blue and white tracksuit.

Updated: 10:56 Wednesday, March 20, 2002