Police release suspect e-fit after woman walking home sexually assaulted in Canning Town McDonald’s car park

Police are hoping to speak to delivery drivers - who were in the McDonald’s car park at the time - and may have witnessed the assault.
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Detectives investigating a serious sexual assault of a woman in a McDonald’s car park have released an e-fit image of the suspect.

Police described the attack as “terrifying” and said they couldn’t “rule out the possibility” that the man had struck before and was a serial offender.

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The 24-year-old victim was returning home from a night out with a friend at around 2.30am on Friday, June 3, when she stopped at McDonald’s in Silvertown Way, Canning Town.

The suspect is described as being of Asian appearance and possibly aged in his mid to late 30s. He wore glasses and had a light coloured beard.The suspect is described as being of Asian appearance and possibly aged in his mid to late 30s. He wore glasses and had a light coloured beard.
The suspect is described as being of Asian appearance and possibly aged in his mid to late 30s. He wore glasses and had a light coloured beard.

She found the restaurant was closed and headed through the car park towards her home when she was ambushed and assaulted.

The woman screamed which alerted the friend she had been out with, and the attacker ran in the direction of a nearby Morrisons supermarket.

The woman has described the suspect as being of Asian appearance and possibly aged in his mid to late 30s. He wore glasses and had a light coloured beard.

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An e-fit image of the man officers are hunting was drawn up.

Delivery drivers wait in front of the Canning Town McDonald’s, on the left, where the woman was sexually assaulted, with the Morrisons car park on the right, where the attacker fled to. Credit: GoogleDelivery drivers wait in front of the Canning Town McDonald’s, on the left, where the woman was sexually assaulted, with the Morrisons car park on the right, where the attacker fled to. Credit: Google
Delivery drivers wait in front of the Canning Town McDonald’s, on the left, where the woman was sexually assaulted, with the Morrisons car park on the right, where the attacker fled to. Credit: Google

Det Con Matt Wilson, from the north east safeguarding unit, said: “This was a terrifying attack on a woman in the middle of the night.

“She bravely managed to call out for help and in doing so caused her attacker to run away, but not before she was sexually assaulted.”

The detective said that while the car park wasn’t busy, there were delivery drivers waiting to collect orders, and also a white van parked, who could have witnessed the attack.

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“I would urge anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious or even just unusual, to come forward,” he explained.

“I’d also encourage anyone who thinks they recognise the person depicted in the e-fit image to get in touch.

“We take incidents such as this extremely seriously and will follow any possible line of enquiry presented to us.”

And the officer urged other people who have been victims of sexual assaults in the area to speak to the police.

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“While we have no information at this stage to indicate that this man has struck before, we cannot rule out the possibility,” he said.

“I would urge anyone who has been the victim of an assault of this nature, no matter when it took place, to call the police.

“We have specialist officers who will take your concerns seriously and provide support throughout the investigation and any judicial process that follows.”

Anyone with information should call 101 with the reference 3228/19JUN.

Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.