Sexual assaults in Hereford

[Hereford Voice]

West Mercia Police are asking people in the Eign Gate, Whitecross Road area of Hereford, to be vigilant after two reports of sexual assaults on Whitecross Road in the early hours of the morning.

The first was on Sunday 26 July 2020 at 00:30 when a woman was walking home after a night out with friends. She was approached by a man offering her money before he attempted to assault her. She was able to run to a nearby house and raise the alarm. She described him as white, aged approx. 21 years old, possibly Eastern European, with dark hair and a slim build. He was wearing a hooded top.

The second assault was on Monday 10 August, 2020 again at approximately 00:30. Another woman walking home after a night out was approached by a man who offered to walk her home and then is believed to have assaulted her. She described him as white with a skinny build and wearing a baseball cap.Det Insp Mark Peters said:

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"These incidents are very concerning and we are conducting numerous enquiries to trace the offender or offenders. Part of this is appealing to the public for information if anyone saw anything or has any information that might aid the investigation.

“At this stage we are keeping an open mind but there is a possibility these assaults could be committed by the same person.

“We want people to be alert to and aware of these incidents to keep themselves safe, and to work with us to identify the person or persons involved. As per our normal advice, try to avoid walking home alone or book a taxi if possible; and if you do walk home alone then avoid headphones and stick to well-lit roads. However I do want to reassure people that incidents such as this are rare in this area.

"We have officers working to provide support to the victims who have, understandably, been left extremely shaken.“

 

Anyone with information regarding these incidents is asked to call police on 101 quoting reference: 0040_i_100820. Or you can report it online via the West Mercia website. If a crime is in progress or someone is in danger always call 999.

“If you don’t wish to speak to police, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111. They never ask your name or trace your call and you could help prevent a crime and keep your community safe.”