Police Want To Speak To Possible Manchester Rape Witness

21 July 2011, 11:31 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50

Police in Manchester want to speak to a man they think could have vital information about a city centre rape.

It happened just after midnight on 4 July in an alleyway off Spear Street, Manchester city centre.

The 33 year old woman got chatting to a man in the Wetherspoons pub in Piccadilly Gardens earlier on the evening of 3 July 2011. They left the pub together at about 11.30pm and as they walked past the alleyway the man pushed her onto a car bonnet and raped her.

A man was seen walking from the direction where the rape happened and spoke to the victim after she was attacked and just a few minutes before she called 999. Police are now trying to trace this man and have released a CCTV still in the hope he either recognises himself or someone knows who he is.

Police are stressing this man is not a suspect, is not under suspicion in any way and just want to speak to him because he may have vital information.

Detective Constable Paul Wilde said:

'We have released this picture because we believe this man spoke to the victim after she was attacked and may have crucial information that could assist the investigation.

'I want to stress this man was not involved in the rape and is not a suspect at all. We have only released his picture because we believe he can help us so please, if you do recognise yourself, come forward. You are not under suspicion at all but you may be a really key witness for us.

'The woman is being supported by specially trained officers after her ordeal. However, the best peace of mind this woman can have is to see her attacker caught so I would urge anyone who knows anything, no matter how small it might seem, to get in touch.'

A 28-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of rape and has been bailed pending further inquiries.