Woman threw herself into Hackney’s Regent’s Canal to escape sex attacker
- Credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images
Another sexual assault has taken place along the Regent’s Canal towpath, taking the total to six incidents within five weeks.
The latest incident happened at around 9pm last Tuesday night, when a 20-year old woman out for her daily run along the towpath was grabbed around her waist by the suspect and dragged to the floor.
In an attempt to escape the woman threw herself into the canal.
The suspect was then seen fleeing towards the De Beauvoir Estate, and the victim was helped out of the water by a passerby.
The suspect is described as a black man, approximately 6 feet tall, and was wearing a black hat and a grey tracksuit.
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Police are unable to say at this stage whether the last incident is linked to the previous five, which happened between March 11 and March 26 between the canal alongside Kingsland Road in Haggerston, Hackney and New North Road in Islington.
Each incident saw a lone female victim grabbed from behind by a male suspect and subjected to an indecent assault.
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The suspect in the previous five incidents was described as a black male aged in his 20s or 30s.
A police spokeswoman said: “We would like to ask women to remain vigilant when jogging or walking on the Regents Canal towpath and if you see anyone acting suspiciously in the area call 999.”
Anyone with information is asked to call DC Kevin Ives from Hackney’s violent crime unit, on 0207 275 3666, quoting reference number 4608998/13.
Alternately call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
