A man who punched a 15-year-old schoolgirl to the ground before raping her in a Salford alleyway last week is still being hunted by police.
The incident occured at about 10pm on January 11, when the teenager was walking down an alleyway on Hilton Street near to Cleggs Lane, Little Hulton,
The youngster was walking down the alleyway when she was punched to the ground by her assailant, who attacked her from behind and then raped her.
Detective Chief Inspector Clare Devlin said: “This young girl suffered the sort of traumatic ordeal no-one should ever have to experience and we are offering him as much support as she needs at this difficult time.
“We have specially-trained officers working with her as she comes to terms with what happened.
“The best peace of mind we can give this young girl and her family is to have this man locked up so we are appealing to the public to help us.”
The offender is described as being white, 30-40 years, about 5ft 6in tall, of a big build and with a large belly. He was wearing a black woolly hat, a black bomber type jacket and dark tracksuit bottoms.
“I understand that the news a 15-year-old girl has been attacked and raped by a stranger will cause considerable unease and distress in this community,” Detective Chief Inspector Devlin said.
“The purpose of this appeal is not to unduly scare people but it is important we inform them about this appalling incident, not only so they can help us find the culprit but so they can also take the necessary precautions until he is caught.
“If you recognise the man from this description, or you have seen him hanging around this area before, then please call us. Any scrap of information could be vital.
Detective Chief Inspector Devlin also advised people living in the area to remain vigilant.
“I also want to reassure residents living and working in this community that we will act on any information to catch this man and high-visibility patrols will be in the area both to provide a reassuring presence, but also to help catch this man,” she said.
“In the interim, I would urge parents to advise their children to stick together, keep to well-lit areas and avoid taking shortcuts where possible.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
