The Metropolitan Police are conducting an urgent hunt for a suspect described as a "violent offender" after a woman was allegedly seriously sexually assaulted in south-west London. The incident occurred around 11:30 p.m. on Thursday in West Barnes.
The suspect is described as a man of West Asian or Eastern European heritage, approximately 5 feet 9 inches tall, around 30 years old, with brown medium to long hair and brown eyes. He was reportedly wearing jeans, a belt with a gold buckle, black trainers, and a black padded coat. He was also noted to be wearing a white helmet and riding a pedal-assisted e-bike equipped with a green and black delivery box on the rear.
Detective chief inspector Rebecca Roberts, who leads the Met's rape and serious sexual assault teams in south-west London, stated that her teams are actively working to identify and apprehend the individual. She urged anyone who may have seen anything unusual in the vicinity of Meadowsweet Close or the nearby playing fields on Thursday night to come forward, emphasizing that any information could be crucial to the investigation.
No arrests have been made yet, and police have stated there will be an increased police presence in the West Barnes area over the weekend to provide reassurance to the community. Those with information are encouraged to contact police via 101 or to speak with officers at the scene. Information can also be reported anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers.