On Thursday, 12 February, Cummins accosted a 25-year-old prostitute named Catherine Mulcahy in Regent Street. Mulcahy—who sold sex using the alias Kathleen King—agreed to take him to her flat in nearby Southwick Street. The two travelled to her flat via taxi, with Cummins giving her the agreed fee of £2 in advance. Upon entering her flat, Mulcahy lit her gas fire and began removing her clothes but did not remove her boots. She later stated a "strange smile" appeared on Cummins's face as she removed her clothing, lay upon her bed and beckoned him to join her. He removed his clothes, then approached Mulcahy, clambered atop her, slammed his knees into her stomach and attempted to strangle her as he pinned her body to the bed with his own weight. Mulcahy fought her attacker, kicking his stomach with her boot and breaking free of his grasp as Cummins fell to the floor beside her bed. Mulcahy then ran screaming from her flat to the house of a neighbour.