Detectives investigating the rape of a woman in Riverside Park on Sunday, December 2 have renewed their appeal to identify the man they are looking for.

 

The woman was walking down Wessex Lane onto Woodmill Lane between 11pm and 11.50pm when a man approached and raped her in an area of woodland near the skate park.

The man has been described as:

• White
• Mid 20s – mid 30s
• Medium build
• Tall
• Short brown hair
• Facial stubble (at the time of the offence)
• Wearing a dark green hooded top
• Wearing dark trainers

Police believe the man then ran off down Woodmill Lane in the direction of Forest Hill Drive and Manor Farm Road, and then entered the surrounding neighbourhood.

After the first appeal to the public, two more reports of women being followed along Woodmill Lane prior to this date were received, one on November 14 at 9.15pm and one on December 1 at 11.30pm. Neither women were attacked. Police believe these incidents might involve the same man.

Detective Inspector Roger Wood said: “The man has been described as smoking a cigarette and drinking from a beer bottle in the previous incidents.

“Further to this, his walk or gait, has been described as short-stepped, or a shuffle, which is quite unique.

“We are looking at local businesses, such as hairdressers, shops and pubs that may have served this man recently. Has he bought cigarettes or alcohol from you?

“We have previously released CCTV of the man following the woman on Wessex Lane on the night of the offence. At 11.32pm the man can be seen on camera following the 18-year-old woman. This is just before the attack takes place.

“Two vehicles drive past the man, a white or silver hatchback, and a dark coloured saloon. We really want to speak to the occupants of these vehicles.

You can view the CCTV footage here.

“Furthermore, we want anyone with private CCTV or dash cam footage in the area of Woodmill Lane, Forest Hill Drive, Manor Farm Road and surrounding roads to get in touch with us.

“We are nearly two weeks on from this incident and I am looking for information from the local community to tell me who this man is.”

“We have been carrying out a number of investigative enquiries, and the Southampton North Neighbourhood Policing Team have been patrolling Riverside Park. We want to reassure the community we are doing all we can to identify this man and make Southampton safer.”

The police can be contacted by calling 101 and quoting Operation Scorch. Alternatively, you can make a report by going to https://mipp.police.uk/operation/44HC18W09-PO1