Police have launched a manhunt for a “violent offender” after a woman was sexually assaulted in southwest London. The “serious” attack happened in West Barnes shortly before midnight on Thursday. No arrests have yet been made.
Police appeal for information
The Metropolitan Police said there would be an increased police presence in the area while officers carry out “urgent enquiries”. Anyone with information has been urged to speak to police or to pass it on anonymously to Crimestoppers.
Suspect description
DCI Rebecca Roberts, who leads the rape and serious sexual assault teams in southwest London, said: “My teams are doing all they can to identify and apprehend this violent offender.
“We are seeking to identify a man described as being approximately 5ft 9”, approximate age 30, with brown, medium to long hair and brown eyes.
“He was wearing jeans, a belt with a gold belt buckle, black trainers, and a black padded coat. He was described as speaking with an accent and could be of West Asian or Eastern European heritage.
“The man was wearing a white helmet and was riding a pedal-assisted e-bike with a green/black delivery box on the rear.
“I would encourage anyone who remembers seeing anything out of the ordinary near Meadowsweet Close or the nearby playing fields to come forward to police.
“Any piece of information could be vital to our investigation.
“We understand incidents of this nature cause significant concern within the community, and we are deploying additional officers in the area to provide reassurance and support.”
