City police in hunt for ‘Apple Tree Yard’ rapist
A WOMAN has been raped in the alley where sex scenes from the controversial BBC One drama Apple Tree Yard were filmed.
Police are hunting a man in a black blazer in connection with the attack near the Bank of England in the heart of the City of London earlier this month.
St Michael’s Alley was used as Apple Tree Yard in the drama, and was one of the locations where married research scientist Dr Yvonne Carmichael, played by Emily Watson, conducted an affair with Mark Costley, alias actor Ben Chaplin.
Watson’s character endures a brutal rape at the hands of a colleague in the first episode of the 2017 series which drew some criticism from viewers and women’s rights groups who found the scene “too harrowing”.
The man police want to question was seen walking around the City in the early hours of the morning prior to the sex attack on Friday, December 7.
Following the rape he was spotted heading over London Bridge shortly after 3am, wearing black trousers, jacket and scarf.
Commander Jane Gyford said: “This was a distressing attack on a young woman in the very heart of our City. Attacks like this are fortunately extremely rare in the City of London.”
Shortly before the assault the suspect approached another woman and they were seen walking into Worship Street, near Hoxton. Police want to speak to her as they believe she may have vital information.
Ms Gyford said: “I want to stress, this woman is not in any trouble. She may be able to provide key information to us about the man who spoke to her. We would also like to establish that she’s OK. Anything she can tell us would be extremely useful.
“We strive to keep our communities safe which is why we need urgently to speak to anyone who knows the man whose image we’ve published.”