Latitude rape: group of males sought

POLICE investigating the rape of a woman at Latitude Festival are appealing directly to a group of males who met up with the young woman to come forward to give their account of what occurred.

They are again renewing appeals for information following the rape of a Norfolk teenager at the Latitude Festival on Thursday night.

Detectives have been talking to friends of the victim and viewing CCTV footage from the festival as part of ongoing enquiries into the incident.

Officers are continuing to circulate appeals - approaching the music press for further assistance in getting details out to the festival-going audience and posting updated media appeals on the Suffolk Constabulary Facebook site.

Officers are also continuing to follow up lines of enquiry generated by the investigation and calls from members of the public.

However, to date, there have only been a small number of these and police believe festival goers will still have important information that can assist.

DCI David Cutler, who is overseeing the investigation into the rape, said: 'We know there will be people with information that can help this enquiry and we are appealing directly to the group of males who met up with the young woman on Thursday night around 10pm - 10.30pm.

'There will be several men in this group who were not present when the rape occurred and we need you to come forward to give an account of what happened. We are working to trace those involved and we will do everything we can to locate you so if you are reading this appeal please do the right thing and come forward.

'If you were at Latitude on Thursday night, and particularly if you were in the red campsite area around this time you may also be able to help our enquiries. If you saw a young woman wearing denim jeggings, a yellow and white check shirt, a black cardigan and Wellington boots you may well have seen the victim of this incident and it is important that we hear from you too.'

One of the members of the group who originally met up with the young woman, but who left before the incident occurred is described as being of muscular build with a shaved head, while one of the men who went with the woman into the wooded area is described as white with dark curly hair, around 5ft 7ins tall, of medium build, possibly in his 20s, with a cockney accent and described as 'looking like a student'.

Police would also like to hear from anyone who may know of a group who went to Latitude who might have included individuals meeting these descriptions.

Anyone with information about the men or the group is asked to call Suffolk Police on 01473 613500, or Crimestoppers, anonymously if required, on 0800 555 111.