London: footage released of man suspected of attacking over 25 women and girls

CCTV footage released by authorities showed a man police believe is responsible for the sexual assaulting of more than 25 women and girls

Image taken from CCTV footage issued by the Metropolitan police of the suspect on Sandbourne Road in Brockley, south-east London (Photo: Metropolitan police)
Image taken from CCTV footage issued by the Metropolitan police of the suspect on Sandbourne Road in Brockley, south-east London (Photo: Metropolitan police)

A sex offender is suspected of assaulting at least 25 victims, including girls as young as eight who were on their way home from school in London, over the past year, said police.

CCTV footage was released by the authorities of the potential suspect, in a string of sexual assaults against girls and women, of ages ranging from eight to 34. They were targeted in public places, while walking down the street during rush hours.

According to Scotland Yard, the assaults could be linked and may have been committed by the same man who has been described as white, in his 40s, with blue eyes, mainly in Lewisham and Greenwich boroughs, as well as Bromley, Southwark and Bexley.

DCI Andrew Furphy said that there was a strong possibility that the offences are linked.

“It is the same method of offending in each case and none of the offences took place at the weekend,” he said.

Most of the victims were teenage girls, many of whom were targeted while in their school uniforms, Furphy added. Police also fear that there could be more victims, who have not reported what happened to them.

“There might be other victims and I would urge them to come forward,” said Furphy.

“The more people who come forward, the more information we have and the better chance we have of finding the offender,” he added.

The offences reportedly took place between 7am and 9am and 4pm and 6pm. The first of which is believed to have taken place on 16 October last year, during which a 13-year-old girl was sexually assaulted in Foxfield Road, Orpington, at around 9:15am.

The last assault reported was on 22 November, when a 15-year-old girl reported being sexually assaulted n Sandbourne Road, Brockley, just after 8:30am.