On Air Now
The EE Official Big Top 40 from Global 4pm - 7pm
15 December 2014, 08:11 | Updated: 30 March 2016, 13:50
A man has been charged following a rape and sexual assault in Mowbray Park in Sunderland.
46 year old Syed Ali from the Barnes area of Sunderland will appear before Sunderland Magistrates' Court this morning.
He's been charged with rape of a female 16-years or over and sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl.
It's after two girls reported they'd been attacked in Mowbray Park on Monday 8th December.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
UPDATED 9th December 2014
A teenage girl's been raped and another sexually assaulted in Sunderland.
At around 7pm on Monday, December 8, police received a report that a man had sexually assaulted a 15-year-old girl and raped her friend, aged 16, at Mowbray Park.
An investigation is underway and enquiries are ongoing to establish exactly what happened, with officers checking CCTV in the area.
Northumbria Police also want to speak to anyone who saw anything suspicious in or around Mowbray Park - in particular a man in company with two girls.
Superintendent Ged Noble, Sunderland Area Command, said:
"These are extremely serious allegations and we're doing everything possible to piece together what has happened and establish the circumstances."
"We understand incidents such as this cause concern in the community and I'd like to reassure people we're doing everything possible to trace this man."
"Obviously this is extremely distressing for the two teenage girls and specialist officers are providing the support they need at this time. Extra patrols are taking place in the area and residents should speak with local officers if they have any information or concerns."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 ext 69191, quoting reference 1047 08/12/14, or independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.