Police are appealing for witnesses to an attempted rape in a park in Southampton last night (Saturday, 8 April).
Officers received a report that at around 8.30pm, a 19-year-old woman was walking along Woodmill Lane in Riverside Park when a person unknown to her grabbed her and then sexually assaulted her nearby before leaving the scene.
The person is believed to be a man and is described as wearing a balaclava covering their face and a black hoody.
Since the incident was reported to us, the woman has been supported by specialist officers and we have been carrying out a range of enquiries to identify the person involved, such as deploying specialist units, including the dog unit, in Riverside Park.
A scene remains in place in the park today while we carry out our enquiries and extra patrols will be put in place in the area throughout the day and overnight.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Watson is leading the investigation. He said: “This incident will no doubt cause concern in the community, particularly among women and girls, and our main priority is to find the person responsible for this incident.
“Were you in the area last night? Did you see anyone acting suspiciously?
“Do you have mobile phone footage which could help our investigation?
“If so, please get in touch.”
He went on to say: “You will see more officers on patrol in the area so please speak to them if you have any concerns.
“I realise that there have been other instances of sexual offences occurring in parks in Southampton in recent weeks, but I would like to reassure you that in these cases we have arrested and charged individuals who are now going through the court process.
“Reducing violence against women and girls is one of our top priorities in Southampton and together with partners we do a lot of work to tackle the issue.
This includes education and prevention work in schools; supporting the Safe Places scheme; having officers on patrol in the city centre at weekends and removing predatory males from the area and extensive work to prevent and respond to domestic violence.
“We are working hard to progress this investigation and appreciate your support at this time.”
Call us with information on 101 or report online via our website, quoting Operation Metropolis or incident number 44230138987.
