NZ Police CommCens Alert 14:00 1-11-2007 Canterbury

Location of incident: Christchurch

Incident Type: Abduction and Assualt
Thursday 1 November 2007

Re: Police seek witnesses the abduction and assault with sexual intent.

Police are seeking witnesses to the abduction of a young woman as she walked along Chester Street West between the Christchurch District Court Building and the western side of Victoria Square.

Between 10 and 10.30am on Thursday the 1st of November 2007 . The victim was walking east along Chester Street West. She was grabbed by two males and dragged behind a hedge area at the end of Chester Street West and indecently assaulted.

The victim has fought with her assailants and yelled out to a passing member of the public, who has intervened. At this point the males have run off.

At the time of this incident the victim was wearing a blue T-shirt with writing on the front and the back and a pair of short grey denim shorts. She had a round brimmed hat on her head and a pair of white framed glasses. The victim is a female Caucasian who wore her blond hair tied back in a pony tail.

The victim believes that she may have been followed to the scene of the offence from the Victoria Street / Bealey Avenue area.

The victim has described the two men as:

1. Male, Maori, aged 20 - 25 years old, longish hair, unshaven, with tattoos up his arms. He was wearing a dark coloured hooded sweatshirt and a pair of baggy blue jeans, ripped at both knee.

2. Male, Caucasian, aged approximately 21 years old, short mousey blond hair, unshaven, with acne all over his face. He was wearing a pair of camoflage pants and a dark coloured hooded sweatshirt. Police would like to speak to anyone who saw this incident or who have information about who might have been involved. In particular Police would like to speak to the member of the public who came to the aid of the young female victim in this case.

'Had it not been for his actions the offending against this young woman would likely have continued and escalated in nature.' said Detective Sergeant Mark REID. Anyone with information that may assist the Police is asked to contact Detective Sergeant REID at the Christchurch Central Police Station on (03) 363 7717.

Jeremy GUNN Detective - Christchurch CIB

ENDS

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