UPDATED: Residents living in the West Wight have become increasingly concerned this week following reports of a second incident involving a child after the alleged sexual assault of an 11-year-old girl last Saturday.
It has been reported to Island Echo that a young girl was approached by a man in the Halletts Shute area of Yarmouth on Tuesday, with the suspect hiding in bushes near to the old church. After the girl alerted her mother to the stranger, the suspect fled the scene by running across nearby fields and past a farm.
Although the girl was not assaulted in anyway, parents have raised concerns that the description given matches that of the description given at the weekend of a man in his 50s, who is alleged to have sexually assaulted an 11-year-old girl at nearby Fort Victoria.
It has been alleged that the mother, who reported the incident to Police, has been told to ‘keep quiet’ about the incident with the story only coming to light last night (Thursday).
Island Echo broke the story of the initial search following the first incident on Saturday just two hours after it took place, however it took Hampshire Constabulary a further 8 hours to confirm the incident and issue a description of the suspect.
Parents in the area have said they are keeping their children indoors and have alerted the local school.
There have been no further updates on the alleged sexual assault since Police confirmed they arrested the wrong person in relation to the attack, however this lunchtime Police have renewed their appeal for information confirming that the suspect remains at large.
Detective Inspector Floyd Higginson of Hampshire Constabulary has said:
“Thankfully incidents such as this are very rare on the Isle of Wight. We are working with our colleagues on the mainland to find out whether any similar historic reports have been made in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and whether they could be linked.
“We continue to follow a number of lines of enquiry to identify this offender and would urge members of the public to report any information to us which could assist our investigation.
“We reiterate our personal safety advice is to ensure that parents are aware of where their children are and avoid letting them walk or play alone in secluded areas. We ask that you report any suspicious activity or people to us.”
UPDATE @ 13:15 – It is understood CCTV footage has been obtained from a nearby farm of Tuesday’s reported incident and Police are now examining the recordings.
DI Higginson has also said today:
“We are working with our colleagues on the mainland to find out whether any similar historic reports have been made in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and whether they could be linked”.
Back in March an attempted sexual assault was carried out on a 13-year-old girl in Carisbrooke. At the time the suspect was described as aged late 40s to mid 50s with short, dark brown/greyish hair and around 6ft tall. No one is believed to have been charged over this attack.
Just days before, a man flashed to two young girls at Puckpool Park in Ryde described as aged between 40–60 years old with grey hair.
In their appeal for information, Police have described the man wanted for Saturday’s attack as white, aged in his 50s with uncut grey hair. He is said to be clean shaven, around 6ft tall of average build with a deep voice.
Anyone with information is asked to contact CID at Newport on 101 or call the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800 555 111.
