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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National
Megan Howe

Woman raped in Walsall in 'racially aggravated' attack

A woman in her 20s has been raped in the West Midlands in what police have called a racially aggravated attack.

Police were called to the Park Hall area of Walsall just after 7.15pm on Saturday after a woman was reported to be distressed in the street.

Officers said a woman had been attacked at a nearby property by a man she did not know.

The attacker is described as white, in his 30s, with short hair and dark clothing and CCTV footage has been released of the suspect.

West Midlands Police confirmed the incident is being treated as “racially aggravated”.

The force said specialist officers have been working since the attack to recover video, speak to witnesses and identify the suspect.

Officers released CCTV of the suspect

Detective Superintendent Ronan Tyrer, of West Midlands Police, said: “This was an absolutely appalling attack on a young woman, and we are doing absolutely everything we can to arrest the person responsible.

“We have teams of officers recovering evidence and building a profile of the attacker so that he can be brought into custody as soon as possible.

“While we are following multiple lines of enquiry right now, it’s vital that we get to hear from anyone who saw a man acting suspiciously in the area at the time.

“It may be that you were driving through the area and have dashcam footage, or you have CCTV that we have not yet recovered. Your information could be the vital breakthrough that we need.

“At this stage we are not linking this attack to any other offences.”

Last month, a Sikh woman was raped in grassland on Tame Road, Oldbury, in an incident also treated as racially aggravated by police.

Preet Kaur Gill MP, the Labour (Co-op) MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, posted on X: “Deeply shocked and saddened that we are hearing of yet another racially aggravated rape this time in Walsall.

“West Midlands Police have reported a rape and assault of a young woman in her 20s in the Park Hall area, described as racially aggravated.”

In a statement on Sunday evening, West Midlands Police confirmed that officers from the public protection unit, local policing officers and forensic officers had worked overnight on the investigation.

Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby said: “Our focus is on supporting the investigators in identifying and arresting the attacker.

“Walsall is a diverse area and we know the fear and concern that this awful attack will cause in our communities.

“We have been speaking to people in the community today to listen to and understand their concerns and there will be an increased policing presence in the coming days.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police on 101 or the live chat online, quoting log 4027 of 25 October.

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