Police release e-fit in hunt for Purfleet sex attacker (From Thurrock Gazette)
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Police release e-fit in hunt for Purfleet sex attacker
8:00am Friday 11th May 2012 in News
An image of the man police are hunting
DETECTIVES, hunting a sex attacker who preyed on a teenager dog walker, have released an e-fit of the man they are looking for.
It comes as police revealed residents living near where the attack happened have been chasing away anyone they don’t recognise.
Police are hoping someone will recognise the man in the e-fit and come forward.
Senior Investigating Officer Det Chief Insp Simon Werrett said: "We have a tremendous amount of support from the Purfleet community so far, but we need them to go just that extra bit further and help us identify this man.
“The image is clear so we’re confident he is known.”
He added: "We are aware of a few recent incidents on the housing estate whereby people have been chased by residents.
“We would rather people contact us with any concerns they have about individuals so we can deal with the situation in a professional, considered manner.”
The attack happened when the 13-year-old victim was walking her Jack Russell in woodland off Centurion Way in Purfleet.
She was approached by a man who sexually assaulted her before fleeing.
The man is described as white, spoke with a local accent, is aged around 30, 5ft 2ins tall and has chubby fingers. At the time of the attack he wore a black hoodie.
Witnesses to the attack, which happened between 4pm and 8.30pm on Saturday, April 21, can contact detectives at Brentwood’s Sexual Offences Investigation Team on 101.
*Police are still trying to reunite a set of office keys found in the woodland with their rightful owner. The keys have a tag with the words “Roller Shutter / Workshop” and the number “244”.
