A year after a 21-year-old student was raped in Manchester, police are making a fresh appeal to trace her attacker.

The woman had returned to Fallowfield in the early hours of 11 May after celebrating the end of her exams.

As she walked from Sainsbury’s to Ladybarn Lane, she was violently attacked and dragged into an alleyway off Whitby Road where she was raped.

Police will be in the area on Saturday asking local people if they recognise an e-fit of her attacker.

Officers have also liaised with the students’ unions in Manchester, informing them of the new appeal and offering safety advice to young women.

Police said the woman suffered serious injuries in the attack and it seemed as if she had been strangled and knocked unconscious.

We don’t want this horrendous incident to spoil students’ celebrations Det Insp Will Chatterton

The offender was pale-skinned and Asian and aged between 20 and 25 years old.

He had dark, prominent eyebrows and thick sideburns that were tapered into facial stubble and a short beard.

He is described as being quite well built and was wearing a black jumper, possibly ribbed, and with a zip.

Det Insp Will Chatterton, leading the investigation, said: “We are determined to catch the attacker, and will continue to work with Ladybarn’s student community, both to help the investigation and to keep our streets safe.

“The victim was with her friends celebrating their end of term exams on the night of the attack.

“We don’t want this horrendous incident to spoil students’ celebrations after all their hard work, but we have to remind people to be safe, to look out for their friends, and not to walk home alone if they can help it.”

Anyone with any information should contact police or Crimestoppers.

Source

A TAXI driver kidnapped and sexually assaulted a female passenger in an hour-long ride of terror, a court heard.

Mohammed Saddique told his 23-year-old passenger he thought she was “up for anything”, a Teesside Crown Court jury was told yesterday.

Saddique, 29, picked her up in Middlesbrough after a night out at about 2.30am on September 19 last year.

But then he took unexpected turns and instead of taking the woman home to Billingham, drove towards Seaton Carew, it is alleged.

“She did not want to be in the car with him, but him driving away left her little choice,” said prosecutor Tina Dempster.

“She was in the taxi against her will for around an hour.”

The woman told the jury: “I asked him where he was going. He asked me didn’t I have time to go for a drive. I started to feel really uneasy.

I said no.”

She said she called a friend and dropped hints to him hoping he would look for her.

“I was trying to get as much information to him without panicking the driver.

“I didn’t know where I was going. It was pitch black. I was really scared of what he was going to do.

“I thought if I rang the police and struggled I could anger him. There was nowhere I could run to.”

She sent her friend a text saying: “The taxi man won’t let me out of the taxi. I dunno where he’s taking me. I just know it’s the Seaton road. Will you help me please?”

She said she secretly made more calls to him and left the line open as she asked the driver about her destination.

The Crown say Saddique reached over to the woman three times while driving, put his hand down her top and touched her breast and leg.

“I started panicking even more. I just had visions in my head if he was going to touch me, he could try and do anything,” said the woman.

“I looked at him. He was looking at me just as bold as brass as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

“I considered just throwing myself out of the car.

“I was scared that he was going to rape me.”

She said Saddique asked if she had any condoms as he drove to Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, Newton Bewley then back to the Billingham area.

He eventually dropped her off at Wolviston Services at about 4am, when the woman said she collapsed, hysterical, crying and breathless.

Her friend and the police arrived quickly and Saddique was arrested.

Saddique, of Crescent Road, Middlesbrough, denies kidnapping and three counts of sexual assault.

He told police the woman asked to be taken to Seaton Carew and denied that anything sexual happened.

Proceeding

TWO Oldham men have been charged with sexually harassing four 13-year-old schoolgirls at Blackpool Pleasure Beach.

Asad Mahmood, 19, of Queens Road, and Haqnawez Razzaq, 26, of Brompton Street, Glodwick face trial at Preston Crown Court on August 7. Both men are charged with five offences of causing or inciting a girl under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity. Razzaq is also charged with obstructing a police officer.

The alleged offences took place on September 7 last year when the four girls were on a school trip and queueing for the Big One rollercoaster.

Beckett Street Cemetery in Burmantofts, Leeds, was sealed off on Sunday afternoon after a woman in her 30s reported the attack there earlier that day.

The rape is alleged to have taken place sometime between noon and 3pm and police have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward.

Today police are hunting an African Caribbean, 30-40 years old, 5ft 6in tall and with black hair in short dreadlocks. He was wearing a beige top, black jeans and black trainers. Anyone with information can ring North East Leeds Police on 0845 6060606.

Source

POLICE have spoken out to reassure residents after councillors claimed there had been a number of racist attacks on white residents.

Nelson and Brierfield councillors have called for a crisis meeting with police after claiming there had been a spate of racist attacks by Asian youths.

But police said there had only been three reported incidents in the past four to six weeks in Nelson and Brierfield, and that only one was being treated as a racist crime.

Officers said there was a racist attack on a teenager who was collecting money for charity in the Cloverhill area of Nelson.

Four men have been arrested in connection with that incident.

Officers said two attempted car jackings on pensioners’ vehicles, which took place 20 minutes apart in Cuckstool Lane and Halifax Road on April 2, were not being treated as racist incidents.

A racist incident is where the motivation for the crime is race.

Inspector Russ Procter said: “There have been incidents where Asian offenders have targeted white persons, but I would say that not all these offences are race related.

“But we want to reassure residents that there are no specific Asian gangs going round attacking people that we know about. All the incidents have been isolated.”

Labour councillor Asjad Mahmood said: “I’m deeply shocked and appalled by what seem to be racist attacks on white residents in Nelson and Brierfield.

“Enough is enough and I want the police to adopt a zero-tolerance approach to this issue.” Coun Mohammed Iqbal clai-med: “A few Asian lads have been going around attacking property of residents who are white.

“Windows have been broken by people throwing stones.

“This has been happening for the past four to six weeks and it is becoming quite bad.”

Inspector Procter said they were investigating Coun Iqbal’s claims and were due to meet him to discuss them.

He added: “All violent crime offences in the area are thoroughly investigated and we have again seen a reduction in violent crime within Nelson this year.”

Source

A 16-YEAR-OLD boy was threatened with a knife as he walked home alone through Windsor.
The youngster was in Alexandra Gardens, heading towards the railway station, when he was approached by a group of six black men on Friday. One of them revealed the weapon and attempted to assault him.
The frightened teenager managed to run off and, although not injured during the 1.45am incident, was left severely shocked.
The man brandishing the knife is described as black, 18-years-old and has a shaved head. He was wearing dark clothing.
A second member of the group is believed to be about 20-years-old and has a scar of his face. He also has afro hair and was wearing a black tracksuit and trainers.
Anyone with more information should call Det Con Elaine Branagan on 0845 8 505 505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Source

SHOPPERS fled in panic when rival gangs wielding bottles, planks of wood and an axe rampaged through Wood Green.
As many as 12 thugs smashed a police car window, before chasing and threatening police community support officers with an axe, leaving one officer injured.

An eyewitness, working at a nearby mobile phone store, who did not want to be named, said: “I saw a bunch of guys running down the street, with one waving around a silver axe as if he was going for the policeman. Others had these big sticks with nails on and one was carrying a whisky bottle.”

A gang of 10 Somalians reportedly chased two black teenagers into a Boots store last Wednesday afternoon, before running down Wood Green High Road.

They struck the windscreen of a police car with an axe, before threatening a police officer with the weapon. One of the officers was punched in the face.

Another onlooker, who also wanted to remain nameless, said: “People came running in here screaming in panic saying there was someone outside with an axe.

“I immediately locked the doors. I don’t think anybody wanted to know exactly what had happened.”

One man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder, criminal damage and possession of an offensive weapon, while three others were taken in for public order offences.

An 18-year-old male suffering minor injuries was taken to a north London hospital before being arrested.

A similar incident involving gang fighting allegedly took place the day before, but no one was hurt.

Haringey CID is investigating the brawl and additional patrols were put in place over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Councillor Ron Aitken, Liberal Democrat crime spokesman, said: “I hope this is not part of an increase in disorder on our streets. Wood Green residents deserve to walk their streets without fear of gangs or violence.”

Chief Inspector Shaun de Souza Brady praised the police community support officers, saying: “Their outstanding bravery in bringing the incident under control cannot be understated. Their intervention resulted in no injuries to members of the public and they should be commended.”
The police pointed out there had been a reduction in violent crime down eight per cent from last year.

Source

A MAN tried to rape a teenage girl after she got into a car she thought was a taxi.

The 18-year-old left city centre nightspot Pure in the early hours of Sunday morning after falling out with friends, and started walking home on her own.

On Miller Street, a white car pulled up alongside her and the driver asked if she was ok.

Thinking he was a taxi driver, the young woman got in the car.

The victim quickly realised that the car was not a taxi, and when she tried to get out she found the doors were locked.

The driver ignored the woman’s pleas to stop and drove along Heath Street in Cheetham Hill, St Mark’s Lane and onto Cheetham Hill Road.

Eventually, the driver stopped on Woodlands Street and tried to rape the woman. 

Escape

The woman struggled and managed to escape, and ran away. While she was running another driver stopped and asked if she was ok, but the woman ignored him and kept running to a friend’s house where she called the police.

The attacker is described as Asian, in his mid-20s and with a slim build. He was wearing light coloured trousers and a dark top. He spoke good English with an Asian accent.

Detective Constable Jill Jones, of Grey Mare Lane CID, said: “The offender subjected his victim, a teenage girl, to a terrifying ordeal. Without wishing to cause any alarm in the community, this is clearly a man who does not care about the damage he caused to this young girl, both physically and emotionally.

“Inquiries are underway to trace and apprehend the offender and I would appeal to anyone who has information about what happened to come forward. In particular, we would like to hear from the second driver that tried to help or anyone who might have been on Woodlands Street at about the time of the attack.

“I also want to warn people going for a night out to take extra care when travelling home and to encourage them to either pre-book a licensed hire taxi, use a hackney cab or arrange for someone to collect them. Private hire cabs should not stop and collect people without them receiving a prior booking.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Grey Mare Lane CID on 0161 856 3540 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Source

A WOMAN was sexually assaulted and then raped in the early hours of Easter Sunday.

The 18-year-old was standing outside Nationwide Building Society in Weston’s High Street at 4am when a car stopped beside her.

Four men of Asian appearance dragged her into a black Vauxhall Vectra and drove around the town.

While in the car the woman was sexually assaulted.

The victim was then taken to an alleyway at the side of Three Queens pub in Oxford Street where she was raped by two of the men.

Four men, all in their 20s, have been arrested on suspicion of rape and remain in police custody.

Anyone who may have witnessed the attack, or have any information about the incidents, is urged to call Weston CID on 0845 456 7000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

Source

A man driving a black cab sexually assaulted a teenage girl in his vehicle as he drove her home in Oxford.

Police are appealing for witnesses after a 17-year-old girl got into a black cab at Gloucester Green and asked to be taken to Jericho at around 11pm on Friday.

Officers said the girl asked to be taken to her home.

When they arrived at around 11.15pm and before she had a chance to get out of the cab, he drove off at speed.

He then took her to another location nearby, which the victim did not recognise, where he forced her to perform a sexual act.

Police said they are treating the incident as a serious sexual assault.

The taxi driver is described as Asian, 45-50 years old, overweight with a large belly. He also had stubble and black hair with flecks of grey.

He spoke with an Indian or Pakistani accent.

Dc Sarah Berry from Oxford CID said: “It is still not clear whether this was a licensed taxi driver or whether this man was posing as one.

“Either way, he has completely taken advantage of this young girl’s trust when she was alone and vulnerable.

“Did you see this taxi speeding in the Kingston Road area? Or did you see a black cab parked up somewhere in the Jericho or Woodstock Road area at around midnight on Friday? Perhaps you recognise this man’s description. This was a serious sexual assault, so please get in touch.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 08458 505505 or speak anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.