Con-man sexually assaults Bethnal Green schoolgirl: police appeal for help

Have you seen this man? Police want to identify and speak to him in connection with a sexual assault on a school girl on 13th May. Although this is nearly six months ago, police are appealing for the public’s help in identifying him before he can pounce again – or, in case he has committed a further assault.

The young school girl was at home in Gwilym Maries House, Canrobert Street, Bethnal Green with a friend in the early evening. She answered the intercom and when a man said he had a delivery she let him into the block. When he arrived at her door, he said he had come to mend the washing machine.  This made the girl suspicious and she rang 999, but as she followed the man round the flat he overpowered her and sexually assaulted her before running out of the flat and away.

The photograph above was taken from CCTV footage in a nearby minicab office shortly after the incident. The man in the photograph appears to have left the schoolgirl victim’s block of flats and gone to the minicab office, from where he took a cab to St Stephens Road. Police need to speak to him as he was in the area at the time of the assault, so he may know something essential to the investigation.

Investigating officer, DC Dean Simpson, of the MPS Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Investigation Command, said: “The victim has been utterly traumatised by what happened to her and we are working with her family to support her. We are incredibly keen to speak to this man, who we believe may have information that could assist the investigation. If you are this man or you recognise him, please call me.”

If you have any information about this man or the offence, please contact DC Simpson by calling him on 020-8733 5999 or emailing him at dean.simpson@met.pnn.police.uk. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.