A WOMAN was robbed and sexually assaulted in a terrifying daylight attack on a canal towpath in Worcester.
It happened between the Cavalier pub and Lansdowne Road about 12.35pm yesterday (Thursday).
The victim, a woman in her 30s, was walking under the Lansdowne Road underpass when a man demanded her bag, threatened her, and pushed her against a wall before carrying out a serious sexual assault.
He pulled her bag off her shoulder and ran off with it, dumping it in a hedge about 100m further along the towpath, minus its contents which included a purse and mobile phone.
The man is described as white, aged about 22, 5ft 7ins in height, and was not fat but had a beer belly. He was clean shaven and had flushed red cheeks and a yellowy complexion, distinctive discoloured teeth with black cavities, and overall an unkempt look.
He was wearing a thin grey and blue zip up hoody with matching jogging bottoms, and a white sleeveless sports vest underneath which had yellow stains on it, trainers which were very white and therefore possibly new, a white and blue baseball cap, and had a Birmingham or Black Country accent.
He ran off towards the Cavalier pub.
The victim was unhurt apart from minor scratches to her chest, caused when he pulled the bag off her shoulder.
Police would also like to trace two men walking along the towpath who may have come across the victim immediately after the incident.
One was a white man with short hair carrying a green and white bag and the second man was wearing a dark coat and was walking a dog.
Detective Constable Manny Sidhu of West Mercia Police said: “This was a serious sexual assault, which left the victim very distressed.
“However she has been able to provide us with a very good description of the offender, which we hope someone will recognise.
“We would also like to hear from the two men who were walking along the towpath shortly after the incident, as they may have information which could help the inquiry.
“We are aware that on Monday there was a serious sexual assault on the canal towpath at Cookley near Kidderminster, and while there is nothing concrete to link these offences, at this stage we are not been able to rule it out and we are keeping an open mind.”
Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident, including anyone who recognises the description of the offender, or the two potential witnesses, are asked to contact DC Sidhu on the non-emergency number 101 or ring the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
