A VIOLENT young man thought to be behind a series of sex attacks on women and girls in West Yorkshire has claimed his tenth victim – and is unlikely to stop offending until he is caught, police warned yesterday.
The man has been preying on teenage girls and women in the Bingley, Baildon and Shipley areas of Bradford since April.
Yesterday police said they believed the same man was responsible for a sexual assault on a 15-year-old girl in Yeadon, near Le
eds – the first time police believe he has ventured out of the Bradford area.
The teenager was waiting for a bus with a friend outside the Emmott Arms pub in Town Street, Rawdon, at around 10.30pm on September 4.
Her attacker began talking to her and asked if she knew the Jug 'n' Jar pub in Yeadon.
He followed her on the bus, which was bound for Bradford via Shipley, and got off at her stop in Queensway, Yeadon, near the Jug 'n' Jar pub. Here he grabbed hold of her arm and indecently assaulted her. She screamed and the man ran off.
She described him as being aged 17-18, 6ft tall, slim with short blonde hair, freckles and a gaunt appearance.
Detectives in Bradford are linking this attack to nine other incidents, some of them violent and sexual assaults, in the northern suburbs of Bradford.
Police believe the suspect may have a connection with either Yeadon or Rawdon, or both, as well as Bradford.
He may work shifts or live in Yeadon or Rawdon, or it may be that he now feels safer away from the sites of previous attacks.
Yesterday police released details of two more incidents.
On September 25 a woman was frightened when she was followed by a suspicious man in Bingley town centre.
And a man exposed himself to a 30-year-old woman in Bradford Old Road, Cottingley, on August 9.
The suspect's first attack was on a 20-year-old woman in Salts Mill Road in April. She was pushed behind a wall and sexually assaulted.
A particularly violent attack occurred on an 18-year-old woman who was walking in Priestthorpe, Bingley, in July. She was dragged into a park and punched several times but managed to escape.
Last night Det Supt Phil Sedgwick, who is leading the investigation, said the man could be caught with public help.
He warned that the attacker is unlikely to stop until he is arrested.
Mr Sedgwick said the man was dangerous and warned women to take sensible steps to ensure their safety. Police do not think the attacker has a criminal record and they believe he has a girlfriend who may be suspicious.
The serious nature of the attacks, and the need for high-profile publicity to help catch him, will have increased the fear of crime, said Mr Sedgwick, but this was unavoidable.
"There is an obvious danger from this man but people can't let him frighten them into not doing normal everyday things. People should take sensible precautions to ensure their safety.
"We have a full-time police team working on this – and we will catch him with the public's help."
Anyone with information should contact the incident room on 01274 537447.
andrew.robinson@ypn.co.uk
