Peterborough sex assault victim speaks as police launch new appeal to find attacker

Today Cambridgeshire Police launched a new appeal on BBC 1 show Crimewatch Roadshow in an attempt to catch the attacker, who struck in the early hours of Sunday February 3 in Welland Road Park.

During the appeal, the victim spoke of what happened in the lead up to the attack, which happened at about 5.30am. Her words were spoken by an actor to protect her identity. She said: "I do look forward to going to work. Partly because It gives me a reason to get out the flat. I got dressed, I had a drink, I left home about 5am.

"Most of the time I met up with a friend and we walk together. But this morning we didn't. It was me on my own.

"It was quiet and I was coming up to the little playground.

"I didn't realise anyone was behind me."

It was at this point when the attacker grabbed her from behind and launched the attack.

The victim said: "I was really frightened

"I decided to go for the mobile phone to ring for the police. He grabbed hold of my wrist. I don't know exactly how it happened but I ended up on my back on the grass. And he basically sat over me, and all the time he either had one hand, both hands or forearm across my throat. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't see any way that I could stop him from doing whatever he wanted.

"I just said 'please let me be. I cant breathe, please let me breathe.'

"At one point he just said 'just be quiet for a moment.' And I basically said no I won't be quiet I'm not going to shut up. I was swinging my arms around to try and hit him, screaming, shouting, whatever I could think of."

She managed to fight off the attacker, who fled the scene.

She said: "I lay there for a few moments very shaken. I just thought 'thank god he has gone.'"

The woman suffered cuts and bruises in the attack, and while she has made a full physical recovery, she is still suffering from the mental scars.

She said: "I've lost confidence. I'm a lot more cautious than i used to be. Even when it is light I am nervous.

"I just want to know he is off the streets, that he is locked up somewhere and he can't do something like this to anybody ever again."

The attacker is described as black, medium build, about 5’ 10”, in his 40s, clean shaven with short dreadlocks and was wearing a black beanie-style hat with a red and yellow stripe on it, a black jacket and black trousers.

Detectives would like to hear from anyone who may know who this man is, they would also like to appeal to those who live in the area and have private CCTV to check it and get in touch if they think they have sight of the offender.

Anyone with information is urged to contact police by either calling 101 or reporting online at www.cambs.police.uk/report, quoting incident 113 of Sunday, 3 February.