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WATCH: Police work into night as rape manhunt continues

WATCH: Police work into night as rape manhunt continues

Tuesday 05 November 2019

WATCH: Police work into night as rape manhunt continues

Tuesday 05 November 2019


Police officers have been working late into the evening and put up 100 posters around the island this morning, as efforts to find the man who raped a teenage girl at a bus stop on Halloween night intensify.

24 police staff led by Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull are now working on finding the perpetrator, who attacked the young woman around midnight on La Rue à Don in Grouville.

5Grouville_bus_Stop_Rape.jpg

Pictured: The bus stop in Gorey where the attack took place.

Their probe has so far involved house-to-house enquiries, collection and analysis of CCTV and the recording of witness statements, but members of the Force say they are still keen to hear from more members of the public.

As ‘Operation Hectre’ entered its fourth day yesterday, Police announced that they had identified a “key window” between 23:30 (Thursday 31 October) and 00:30 (Friday 1 November).

“At some point in this time window, [the young woman] 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,” a statement read.

“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 23:20 and 00:30, regardless of whether or not they think they saw anything of note – everything is relevant.”

The message was emphasised in a poster released later yesterday afternoon, which emphasised: “Every detail is important.” 

A spokesperson told Express around 100 of the posters have been printed and will be distributed around the island today. 

In a video posted to social media, an officer can be seen attaching one of the posters to the bus shelter where the rape occurred.

The content of the posters has also been translated into Portuguese, Polish and Romanian and shared on social media. 

They include an updated description of the attacker, who officers clarified yesterday spoke with a “foreign accent” – rather than a “Portuguese/Mediterranean” one as previously claimed – and that he wore a baseball cap rather than a flatcap.

The man, who was said to be wearing a coat that looked too big for him, is described as being around 5’9, with a stocky, muscular build with thick brown hair and a short brown/grey beard.

As well as distributing posters, Police are continuing their investigation this morning after working into the evening last night. 

Shortly before 19:00, Detective Superintendent Stewart Gull was pictured on social media having gathered officers together for an update meeting.

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.

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