Police release e-fit of teenage suspect with slash cut through his eyebrow after girl, 15, was raped in sea off packed Bournemouth beach
- Dorset police are desperately trying to track person who raped girl, 15, in front of thousands of people just off a packed Bournemouth beach last month
- New image shows a teenage boy with dark hair and a slash through his eyebrow
- The perpetrator approached his victim before pulling her out into deeper water
- Despite there being thousands of people, he attacked her while under the water
Police have released an e-fit image of a teenage suspect they believe could have been the perpetrator in the rape of a 15-year-old girl.
The image, showing a boy with dark hair and a slash through his eyebrow, has been made public as Dorset police try to track down the person who raped a girl just off Bournemouth Beach last month.
The victim – a 15-year-old girl – was with her friends playing with a ball when it landed in front of a teenage boy.
He threw it back but began talking to the schoolgirl before pulling her out into deeper water close to Bournemouth Pier, Dorset.
Despite there being crowds of people in the water and on the pier, the young man then raped the girl under the cover of the water.
The attacker told his victim he was aged 17 and had travelled to the Dorset coast from Birmingham.
The girl later reported the shocking attack to the police who are appealing for people who took photos and video around the pier area.
The image, showing a boy with dark hair and a slash through his eyebrow, has been made public as Dorset police try to track down the person who raped a girl just off Bournemouth Beach last month
The attack happened in the sea off Bournemouth on Sunday (pictured, a file photo of the beach on Sunday)
The suspect is described as possibly of Pakistani descent and with tanned skin, between 5ft and 5ft 7ins tall and of a thin but muscular build with short dark hair that was pushed back and looked freshly trimmed.
He was wearing black or grey swimming shorts at the time.
Detectives from Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) launched an investigation into the incident.
Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, of MCIT, said: ‘The victim is continuing to be supported by officers and we have been carrying out a large number of enquiries into this incident.
‘As part of our investigation we have obtained forensic evidence that means we will be able to eliminate anyone who was not involved from our enquiries.
‘We have now obtained an e-fit image of the suspect and I would urge anyone who recognises him to please get in touch.
The victim was approached by her attacker when a ball she and her friends were playing with in the sea landed close to him in Bournemouth (pictured on Sunday)
The attacker threw her ball back but began talking to the schoolgirl before pulling her out into deeper water close to Bournemouth Pier (pictured on Sunday)
‘We have also received a number of reports of young Asian men approaching female beachgoers on the date of the incident, some of whom may have exchanged messages on Snapchat.
‘I would urge anyone who has exchanged Snapchat messages with someone who approached them on the beach that day to please make contact with us as it may assist our investigation.
‘In addition I would like to renew our appeal to anyone who was on the beach in the vicinity of the Oceanarium to check any photographs or video footage taken to see if they have captured anything of relevance.’
Neighbourhood Inspector Darren Harris, of Bournemouth police, said: ‘I understand this incident will have caused concern for the wider community.
‘We continue to work collaboratively with BCP Council and other partner agencies to step up patrols along the seafront and these efforts will continue throughout the summer.
‘Police officers, police community support officers, Community Safety Accreditation Scheme (CSAS) officers, council staff and the RNLI will have a visible presence on the seafront and can be approached by members of the public with any concerns.’
Detectives are urging anyone with information, images or footage relevant to the investigation to submit it via the UK Police Major Incident Public Portal.
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