Surrey police have announced they will close the investigation into an alleged rape outside a church in Epsom, which sparked public disorder, after concluding that no offence took place. The force stated it is "confident there was no offence" and condemned the "shameful" behaviour of protesters who threw eggs and beer cans at officers.
Background of the Incident
The investigation began on Saturday 11 April when a woman reported being raped near a church in the early hours after leaving Labyrinth nightclub in Epsom. Public anger arose because the police did not release the ethnicity of any suspects, leading to protests in the town.
Police Findings
In an update on Thursday, Surrey police explained that after a "thorough investigation," it became clear the woman in her 20s had suffered an accidental head injury after a night out, which led to a confused report. The force acknowledged that their initial appeal lacked information about potential persons of interest due to vague descriptions.
"We are now confident that there was no offence, and there were no suspects," the police statement read. Detectives conducted an extensive examination of CCTV footage, house-to-house inquiries, witness interviews, and forensic tests.
Public Disorder
On Monday evening, eggs and beer cans were thrown at police during clashes between officers and protesters. Four people were arrested, and one man attempted to climb on top of a police van. This was the second protest following the rape allegation.
Surrey police and crime commissioner Lisa Townsend condemned the actions as "shameful." She noted that some participants had travelled from elsewhere to cause trouble and warned them to stay away. "The mindless scenes we witnessed last night where our police officers were targeted with missiles were nothing short of shameful," she said.
Townsend emphasised the right to lawful protest but stated that the behaviour witnessed "stepped way beyond that line" and would not be tolerated. She urged those intending to stir up trouble to stay away from Epsom, warning that police would take robust action.
The protest was promoted online by Danny Tommo, a former associate of rightwing activist Tommy Robinson.
