CCTV Appeal Following Sittingbourne Assault

Images of a man who may have important information on an incident in Sittingbourne have been released by Kent Police.

Detectives are investigating an allegation a man approached a girl in an alleyway off Rectory Road at around 8.15am on Wednesday (8th December) evening.

Following a short verbal exchange, he is said to have briefly grabbed her before running from the area when he was challenged. The girl was uninjured.

Since receiving the report, officers have arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with the incident. He has since been bailed until Tuesday 4th January (2022) while officers carry out enquiries.

As part of the ongoing investigation officers are releasing an image of a man who they think is likely to have information which can further assist with enquiries.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Scott Relf told SFM News: "We understand the concerns members of the community may have when they hear of this incident, but please be assured that we have robust measures in place for when incidents of this nature are reported to us. This is shown by the quick action we have taken to ensure the safety of the girl involved and also detain a suspect. Our enquiries are continuing at pace and as part of these we are releasing these images. While we know the images are grainy, we believe that those who personally know the man would be able to recognise him. I would encourage anyone with information on his identity to contact us, as we believe he will have important information which can help with our investigation."

Anyone with any information is asked to call Kent Police on 01634 792209, quoting reference 46/252881/21 or, alternatively, they can call the independent charity Crimestoppers FREE and anonymously on 0800 555 111 or complete the online form on their website: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/give-information-ano... .