Police launch new appeal as Bristol sex attacker strikes again

A serial sex attacker who has struck five times in the same affluent city suburb is still at large, police said today.

Five young woman have been attacked in the Clifton and Cotham area of Bristol in the last five weeks - and police believe the assaults are linked.

The sex attacker most recently struck in the early hours of this morning in Hampton Park, Cotham. The road was sealed off to drivers while a forensic examination of the area was undertaken.

During the last five weeks, four other indecent assaults were reported in the nearby Whiteladies Road and Alma Road areas of Clifton.

In each case lone women have been approached by an unknown white man in his early twenties, who indecently assaulted them.

Officers have stepped up patrols in the area - which is popular with students - and are continuing to make enquiries.

At a press briefing in Hampton Park today, Superintendent Ian Wylie said: "The most recent attack took place in the early hours of this morning. That's now what we believe to be the fifth such offence.

"We've got a large team of officers involved in the investigation into those offences. We are going to have a large scale reassurance operation involving uniformed police officers and PCSOs over the coming days in this area to provide reassurance.

"It was an indecent assault but it's still a serious offence and clearly very distressing for its victims which is why we've invested so much in the investigation.

"All the victims have been young women. This man is targeting mainly young females.

"I'd like to offer advice to those females - they are still extremely unlikely to become a victim of this offender, this type of offence is very rare, however, we would like them to take additional care over the coming days and weeks in the area.

"If they're able to go home accompanied by someone else, perhaps take a taxi, use well-lit streets, just be aware of the surrounding and take additional precautions."

Supt Wylie said he was "confident" the sex attacker would be brought to justice.

He said: "We've got a team of experienced officers working on this and we will identify who this offender is.

"Without going into specifics, there are clear links between those offences and we are linking them."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detectives on 0117 9455562 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.