Man arrested after sexual assault on woman in Horsham

A 21-year-old woman was attacked in the early hours of Saturday morning (12 September).

Published 14th Sep 2020

Police made an arrest less than an hour after a woman was sexually assaulted in a Horsham street.

At 2.30am on Saturday (12 September) the 21-year-old woman was walking through the alley between Boxall Walk and Goring's Mead, off Brighton Road in Horsham, when she was attacked from behind and sexually assaulted.

Her shouts and screams alerted local residents and deterred the man who ran off.

She sustained cuts and bruises, and is being supported by specially trained officers.

Police attended swiftly and searched the area, and at 3.25pm officers arrested a man aged 21 nearby on suspicion of the assault.

After being interviewed the man was released on police bail until 7 October while enquiries continue.

Detective Constable Della Squires of the West Sussex Safeguarding Investigations Unit said:

"If you saw anything suspicious in that area early on the Saturday morning, or if you have seen any apparently discarded items nearby that seem strange to the area, please contact us either online or by calling 101, quoting serial 195 of 12/09."