Woman Hit On The Head And Sexually Assaulted In Wigan

A woman was dragged into a secluded wooded area and sexually assaulted.

A woman was dragged into a secluded wooded area and sexually assaulted.

A woman was dragged into a secluded wooded area and sexually assaulted.

It happened at about 1.30am on Saturday 2 June 2012 near to the Spring View Cricket Club in Platt Bridge.

The woman, 36, left a friend's house and was walking along Warrington Road when she passed the cricket club. She then passed a small gap in the fencing which leads down a dirt track to a secluded wooded area known locally as 'Amberswood' when she was struck on the back of her head.

The offender then dragged her down the dirt track and sexually assaulted her.

Frightened, the woman retaliated and scratched the left hand side of her attacker's face, causing him to flee.

The woman alerted family members and the police were called.

Detectives are now appealing to anyone with information to come forward.

The offender is described as being white, 5ft 8in tall, in his early 20s, with short fair hair and of a thin or lanky build. He was wearing dark coloured clothes and a zip-up top. He was also said to smell of oil or diesel.

Detective Sergeant Gary Ashurst said: "This woman was subjected to a truly terrible ordeal at the hands of this coward. It is no exaggeration to say she feared for her life and it was only thanks to her sheer courage in the face of such danger that she was able to fight him off.

"Specially-trained officers are currently with the woman to offer her the support and advice she needs at what is clearly a very difficult time.

"I know this incident will cause anxiety in our community, and that is why we have released details of what happened so that people can be on their guard, but most importantly so everyone can pull together and help us find this man.

"I want to appeal to anyone who might have seen a man with a cut on the left side of his face and who matches the description to call us immediately. Do not approach him but call Wigan CID straight away. Similarly, I would ask that if any nurses or medical staff have treated a man with these sorts of injuries in the last few hours or so, that they also come forward and let us know.

"This woman showed incredible bravery to fight her attacker off and raise the alarm within minutes, which means we have been able to launch an immediate investigation to find this man and I want to assure anyone who is reading this appeal that we will not rest until we find him. In the meantime, it is important that people do take precautions such as keeping to well-lit areas and sticking together in groups until he is caught."

Anyone with information should call Wigan CID on 0161 856 7149 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Anyone who has been a victim of rape or sexual assault can contact Greater Manchester Police on 101 or 999 in an emergency. GMP has specially trained officers in place to provide a first class response to victims and help support them through the criminal justice process.

St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Manchester, can also be contacted on 0161 276 6515. This provides a comprehensive and coordinated forensic, counselling and medical aftercare service to anyone in Greater Manchester who has experienced rape or sexual assault. Services are available on a 24-hour basis and people can access them either as a self-referral or via Greater Manchester Police.

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