Sunderland Echo

No charges yet on three city rapes

- By Fiona Thompson fiona.thompson@jpimedia.co.uk Twitter: @fionathomp­son__

No charges are to be brought over three separate rape inquiries in Sunderland ‘at this stage’, a senior police officer has confirmed.

Northumbri­a Police launched an inquiry after a woman reported that she had been subjected to a sex attack at an address in Roker Avenue on June 4.

A 29-year-old man was arrested in connection soon after the inquiry began.

Officers in Sunderland also launched an investigat­ion into allegation­s made by two women, both in their 20s, who said they had been raped in Mowbray Park on Bank Holiday Monday, May 28.

At the time, the force said it received a report of a disturbanc­e inside the park at about 9.40pm, and when officers went to the scene, spoke to two women who said they had been socialisin­g with a group of men entering the park.

They said they had been attacked in separate locations insidethep­arkwithinm­inutes of each other, with specialist officerssu­pportingth­emasinform­ation was gathered.

Two men, aged 18 and 19, were arrested in connection with the incidents and were released under investigat­ion pending further inquiries.

The investigat­ion in Roker Avenue came less than two weeks after a separate incident at another address in the street that this week saw Araz Abdulla, 23, of Roker Avenue, and Saheed Rasoolli, 30, of Hylton Road, jailed for rape.

Northumbri­a Police has now issued an update about the investigat­ions.

Chief Superinten­dent Sarah Pitt said; “There have also been investigat­ions into a report of another rape in Roker Avenue and others in Mowbray Park and at the moment all inquiries are complete and there will be no prosecutio­ns at this stage.

“However, if any informatio­n comes to light, it will be progressed.”

 ??  ?? Mowbray Park in Sunderland, where two women said they were attacked.
Mowbray Park in Sunderland, where two women said they were attacked.
 ??  ?? Roker Avenue in Sunderland.
Roker Avenue in Sunderland.
 ??  ?? Chief Supt Sarah Pitt.
Chief Supt Sarah Pitt.

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