Police probe two alleged city centre sex attacks

May 11 2009 by Phil Doherty, The Journal

POLICE are appealing for witnesses after two sex assaults on young women in Newcastle at the weekend.

A 20-year-old woman was attacked in the early hours of yesterday and a 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped 24 hours before.

In yesterday’s attack a woman was approached by a man as she was walking past Newcastle University’s Robinson Library towards the underpass which leads to West Jesmond at around 4.20am.

He pushed her to the ground, punched her in the face and sexually assaulted her. He ran off towards the city centre.

Police are appealing for anyone who may have seen the woman to come forward. She is of slim build with long brown hair, and was wearing red-framed glasses, a black zip-up hooded top, a distinctive red dress and black tights.

Her attacker is described as white, aged between 20 and 40, of medium build, with brown hair. He was wearing a dark top, jeans and dark trainers.

Saturday’s attack took place near a city centre pub shortly after 3.15am. A man approached a 19- year-old woman and her friends – who were sitting outside the Beehive pub on the Cloth Market . The victim claims shortly afterwards she was attacked in an alleyway next to the pub.

Her alleged attacker is described as being around 23 or 24, around 5ft 7ins tall, with fair hair spiked up at the front.

He was wearing a white, black and grey horizontally striped shirt .

Anyone with information about either attack is asked to call Northumbria Police on 03456 043 043 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.