Police Investigate Sex Attack in Portsmouth

Police investigating a sexual assault in Portsmouth would like to hear from women who may have suffered a similar experience.

The victim, a 24-year-old Portsmouth woman, had spent the evening of Friday, August 13, with friends at the Fuzzy Duck bar on Guildhall Walk.
 
She left the bar alone at around 11pm and walked towards the Subway sandwich shop on Winston Churchill Avenue.
 
Outside she met a man who offered to walk her home and she accepted.
 
They walked towards Horatia House on Meriden Road where he sexually assaulted her in the stairwell of the block of flats.
 
After he had gone, she went to a friend’s house nearby to contact the police.
 
A 21-year-old Portsmouth man was later arrested on suspicion of rape and bailed until October 19 pending further enquiries.
 
Detective Inspector Heidi Oliver is head of the Crystal Unit (the police’s dedicated sexual assault team in Portsmouth). She said: “The victim has been receiving support and treatment from the Treetops Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Portsmouth. 
 
“Having taken a statement from her and interviewed a suspect, we are now in a position to issue a formal appeal.
 
“As part of our investigation, I’d like to hear from any women who may have been approached by a man under similar circumstances who may have tried to assault them either that night or any other.
 
“It might be that you didn’t think anything of it at the time, or didn’t think it was severe enough, but we take all reports of this nature extremely seriously. Your information could help us bring to justice whoever did this.”
 
Anyone with information is asked to contact DI Oliver at Fratton police station on 101 or 0845 045 45 45 from outside Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. You can also call the anonymous Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.