Crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £3,000 for crucial information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person wanted in connection with the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl in Southend last year [28 October 2011].

Southend detectives have released an efit of a man responsible for the rape, which is alleged to have taken place in the area of East Street, Southend, between mid-June and mid-July 2010 between 5pm and 6pm in the evening.

The girl was approached by a man who came out of the alleyway that runs from Kenway to East Street, (locally referred to sometimes as Postman’s Alleyway), parallel with the railway line. He dragged her into the alleyway where he raped her. The girl lost consciousness and when she came round, her attacker had left the area.

The man is described as being black, aged 18 plus, 6’0’’, with a stocky/broad build and was wearing a black Adidas jumper, dark jogging bottoms and white Air Force trainers. The appeal can be seen on the charity’s Most Wanted pages of the website.

Reward offered

Crimestoppers is offering the reward of up to £3,000 in the hope that someone will provide vital information to bring the accused offender to justice and to solve this crime.

Crimestoppers’ Eastern Regional Manager, Ann Scott, said: “This horrific crime on a vulnerable 14-year-old, who was walking home from school in broad daylight, will outrage her community and everyone who hears about it.

"We urge anyone who knows anything about this crime or recognizes the man in the e-fit to contact Crimestoppers.

“No-one has anything to fear by contacting the charity. We do not record our calls and we cannot trace calls or IP addresses. We also do not ask for your name or any personal details, and you will not have to speak with a police officer, give a statement or go to court. In the 23 years that we have been running, Crimestoppers has never broken its promise of anonymity.”

Rewards can only be claimed for information provided to Crimestoppers that leads to an arrest and conviction through our anonymous number 0800 555 111. Alternatively, you can provide information by visiting our website www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

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For further information please contact Ann Scott on 01255 475954 or email ann.scott@crimestoppers-uk.org.

Notes to editors:

• Crimestoppers is an independent charity which helps the police to solve crimes, making communities safer. It does this by operating the 24/7 telephone number 0800 555 111 which people can ring to pass on information about crimes anonymously. They can also use our ‘giving information’ form via our website www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
• Around 23 people are arrested and charged every day as a result of information given to Crimestoppers.  
• Since Crimestoppers began in 1988, it has received over a million actionable calls, resulting in over 108,000 arrests and charges. Over £115 million worth of goods has been recovered and over £213 million worth of drugs has been seized.  
• In 2005, Crimestoppers launched the UK’s Most Wanted on its website which allows the public to view images of criminals and pass on vital information about their whereabouts. It has been highly successful with over 1,000 arrests to date.
• Crimestoppers UK was founded by Lord Ashcroft, KCMG, Chairman of Trustees, who in 1988 launched Crimestoppers in the Metropolitan Police area. Crimestoppers’ ‘call to action’ is built on a three-way partnership between the business community, the police and the media.