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Police have released a poster appealing for information about the rape of a teenage girl on Halloween night, as they widened the scope of their investigation to a key one-hour period.
The attack on the teenager, who had been at a house party with friends prior to the incident and was waiting for a lift home from her mother, took place on La Rue à Don around midnight on Thursday 31 October/Friday 1 November.
An investigation involving 24 officers named 'Operation Hectre' was launched the following morning, with Police undertaking house-to-house enquiries, CCTV analysis and recording witness statements over the weekend.
Pictured: The area of Grouville in which the attack occurred.
A description of the attacker - said to be around 5’9, with a stocky, muscular build with thick brown hair and a short brown/grey beard - was also issued alongside a public appeal for more information.
In a statement released around midday today, Police reissued their appeal for information - this time with a wider timeframe.
"The key time window for the investigation is between 23:30 on Thursday, when the victim left a friend’s house party in Gorey Village, and 00:30 on Friday. At some point in this time window she was raped at the bus stop opposite Gorey Common. Footage from Liberty Bus appears to show the victim at the bus stop when buses pass at 23:53 and 00:06.
"We know from members of the public who have contacted us thus far that there were a lot of people out and about during that time window, due to it being Halloween. This included people on foot or transiting in cars and taxis.
"We are now keen to speak to anyone who was in the area between 23:30 and 00:30, regardless of whether or not they think they saw anything of note – everything is relevant. This includes anybody who drove through the area and has dash cam footage, even if it doesn’t appear to show anything."
Pictured: Police are appealing in particular to anyone who drove through the area.
The statement also included an updated description of the attacker.
"Following further time spent with the victim over the weekend it is now believed that the black cap worn by the attacker under a hood was a baseball cap, not a flat cap as originally reported," it read.
The statement added that, despite having previously reported the man as having a "Mediterranean/Portuguese accent", they are now describing it as "foreign". This, they said, was so that islanders don't rule out any information they may have about individuals of other nationalities.
Police have now released a poster featuring the full description of the attacker, and the location the rape was said to have taken place. It reads: "Were you in the Gorey area? If you were between 23:30 on Thursday and 00:30 on Friday, then we urgently need to speak to you, even if you think you saw nothing - every detail is important."
On Friday, the Detective leading the investigation - Stuart Gull - told Express that it was believed that the attacker may have followed the girl to the bus stop.
The man, who was not known to the victim, walked by and asked if she needed a lift. The girl declined, but the man returned several minutes later. He offered again to drive the girl home, but she refused. He then raped her.
Pictured: Stuart Gull, who is leading the 24-officer investigation.
“I think she was overpowered and he took control of her. It happened quite quickly,” Mr Gull said.
While he offered the girl a lift, the man arrived and left the scene on foot. Mr Gull said a car was heard shortly after the attack and that Police are aiming to establish whether it was the perpetrator.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact the Serious Crime Unit on 612200 or make an anonymous report to Crimestoppers via their online form.
Manhunt after teen raped at bus stop
"Predatory" rapist believed to have followed teen
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