Police seek man after sexual assault on Hackney bus

POLICE ARE trying to identify and find a man who was recorded on CCTV operating on the 243 bus as it went through Dalston. This follows a female passenger reporting that a sexual assault took place on the bus.

The 243 route goes from Waterloo to Wood Green. As it went through Dalston in the early hours of Sunday, 31st May, the man pictured in the CCTV began talking to a woman passenger. She then fell asleep – only to wake up when the man began sexually assaulting her.

The woman resisted the attack – and the man then got off the bus. The woman reported the incident to the bus driver, who called the police. As well as trying to find the man in the CCTV image, the police have also provided the woman with specialist care and support.

The man in the picture is described as a white man in his mid to late 50s, around 5ft 6ins tall, with short grey hair and a thick grey beard and of stocky build.  He was wearing blue jeans and a red top and spoke with an Irish accent.

Detective Sergeant Adam Knott said, “This was a terrifying ordeal for the victim. To awake to find the suspect subjecting her to a serious sexual assault will have been a very traumatic experience; and it is imperative that we find the man responsible to ensure he is brought to justice. Do you recognise the individual in the image? Please come forward and speak with police.”

•Anyone with information is asked to contact police at the Central East Safeguarding Unit via 101 and quote reference CAD 1509/31May. Alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800-555 111 and give information anonymously.

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