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Strood manhunt after assault in Darnley Road following Rede Common attack

A mum has been searching the streets of Medway to hunt for a man who sexually assaulted her teenage daughter.

The woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, has been driving around Strood every night since her 14-year-old daughter was approached by a dog walker in Darnley Road.

The victim’s mother believes the man is the same one who approached another teenage girl in nearby Rede Common, Strood, two weeks before.

Darnley Road, Strood
Darnley Road, Strood

Police are not ruling out the possibility that the two incidents are linked and have warned people to be vigilant.

The mum has now set up a Facebook group in a bid to track down the man. The group, called HELP FIND THIS MAN ASAP!!!, has almost 600 members and some have been helping to look for him.

"He has got to be caught before he does it to another girl" - victim's mother

The mother herself has been out everyday, driving around the streets.

She said: “I go out at about the same time it happened every night and I will continue to do so. He has got to be caught before he does it to another girl.

“I have had so much support; from close friends and complete strangers. It shows real community spirit.”

Her daughter was just a few hundred yards from her home, after going to the Tesco Express store in the road, when the man stopped in front of her, blocking her way.

He asked “Can I feel you up” and then put his hand between her legs.

Terrified, the girl was able to push him away and run home. As she got to her front door, she turned around to see the man watching her.

Her mum said: “He watched her come into the house which has really frightened her. She is edgy about going out and not sleeping well. I’m having to sleep in the living room to convince her that he is not going to come through the front door.”

This computer generated image was released by police after a girl was touched inappropriately by a man in Rede Common
This computer generated image was released by police after a girl was touched inappropriately by a man in Rede Common

On Wednesday, March 30, a 16-year-old girl was hugged by a man on Rede Common who then went on to touch her inappropriately.

Police released an efit of the suspect and appealed for information.

The man is described as between 50 and 60 in age, wearing a green mid-length coat with a hood and either dark or tan coloured work style boots or wellies.

He was walking two dogs; a light coloured one thought to be a labrador and a smaller black dog with tan markings.

Inspector Geoffery Payne said: "Officers are following up a number of lines of enquiry into both of these incidents and would urge anyone with information to get in touch.

"Incidents where young people are approached in this manner are extremely rare but naturally cause concern in the community.

"We would therefore urge people to remain vigilant and report anything suspicious."

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