Police release CCTV in their hunt for rapist
RESIDENTS TELL OF FEARS AS INQUIRIES CONTINUE
WORRY and anger is rife in a residential area of Newcastle after a woman was raped by a stranger while walking home.
An investigation is under way to find the attacker who struck in West Denton in the early hours of October 10.
Police say a man approached the woman in the underpass of the A1 near McDonald’s on Stamfordham Road and offered to walk her home, before raping her in a school field.
The pair made their way through the car park of McDonald’s, over a foot bridge crossing West Denton Way and into a rear lane past an address on Fenton Walk at around 12.30am.
At this point, it is reported the man went on to carry out the attack behind Beech Hill Primary School, off Linhope Road.
The victim has described her attacker as a white man, 5ft 9ins tall, of medium build with a shaved head and a local accent.
CCTV images showing a man walking in the area at the time of the incident have now been released.
A father from West Denton, who has lived next door to the school for the past five years, said of the incident: “Poor lass, I hope they catch whoever did that to her.
“I’ve got three little girls, and I’m scared to let them play outside as it is, and now this horrible thing has happened.
“Since I moved here it’s seemed dead quiet, but we could definitely benefit from more lighting and cameras to make people feel safer.”
A 46-year-old mum, who lives close to where the rape took place, said she felt “physically sick” when she heard the news.
She continued: “It gives me shivers to think something like that happened so close to our front door. I keep thinking, is it someone who has walked past and said hello before? And will it happen again?”
She said even before the incident, she had been worried about how dark it is around the estate.
“It’s pitch black along here in the winter and so even though my daughter is an adult now, I worry about her. I’ll make sure I get up every morning to drop her to her co-worker so she doesn’t have to go work alone. We shouldn’t have to worry like this – it isn’t right.”
A 19-year-old woman from West Denton said: “It’s scary isn’t it? You hear about it happening in other places, but you never think something so worrying would happen so close to home.
“I tend to feel OK about going out on my own at night because I know the area – but I do wish there were more lights.”
A mum-of-three, who has lived in the area for four years, said: “My heart goes out to the woman and I really hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
She continued: “I don’t feel safe around here at night, especially when walking through the underpasses. It’s terrible to know that a rapist is still out there somewhere – I hope the police up patrols in this area until he is found.”
Police are asking for the man in the CCTV released, anyone who thinks they may know him, or any other witnesses in the area at the time, to come forward.
Detective Sergeant William Kemp, of Northumbria Police, said: “We are continuing to offer the victim any support she needs and are committed to ensuring the person responsible for this offence is brought to justice – and we are today asking for your help.
“Incidents of this nature are rare in this area, but when they do occur, as a Force we will use every tactic at our disposal in order to ensure perpetrators are identified and dealt with robustly.
“I am asking the public to cast their mind back to the early hours of October 10.
“Did you see a male and female walking together at the time and in the area described?
“Do you think you might know who this man pictured is? If so, please let us know as we would like to speak to him – he could have crucial information that can assist our ongoing enquiries.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact police via ‘Tell Us Something’ online or by calling 101 quoting crime number 111818B/21. Or email operationkestrel@northumbria.police.uk