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Police won’t rule out serial sex attacker


POLICE have not ruled out the possibility that a serial sex attacker is stalking Southamp-ton’s parks.

They are investigating the rape of a 24-year-old woman who was dragged into bushes as she walked through a city park.

The victim was making her way through Palmerston Park in Southampton at 12.50am after partying with friends at Reflex nightclub.

Police have refused to say whether they are linking the latest attack with a series of rapes and sexual assaults that have recently happened in the city’s parks.

Detective Inspector Linda Howard, of Shirley CID, said: “I have ruled nothing in and nothing out as yet.

“This woman was subjected to a terrifying sexual assault when she was walking home alone.

“She was grabbed from behind against her will and dragged into bushes.”

The attacker is described as an Asian man, aged approximately 30, about 5ft 6in, of middle to large build.

The victim also told police her attacker had a short, dark hair and a deep, husky voice.

A cordon was put up around the park yesterday at 1am while officers carried out their investigations and eight police vehicles were at the scene.

Det Insp Howard added: “We are currently speaking to the victim who is very distressed.

“It’s very early stages in the investigation.

“But obviously if any members of the public feel that they can assist us I would be very grateful if they would come forward.

“If they were in the area between 12am and 1.30am and saw anything suspicious, like someone hanging around the bushes, it will help the investigation.

“It’s too early for me to say at the moment that we are linking it to any other offences.”

She went on to warn people about the dangers of walking through isolated parts of the city at night and advised people to return home in a group or get a taxi.

Palmerston Park has been the site of several serious sex attacks including two separate rapes involving women, aged 19 and 26, in recent months.

Anyone with information on the attack is asked to contact Shirley CID on 0845 045 4545.

Comments(34)

claire mc says...
11:16am Sat 18 Oct 08

I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone

southy says...
12:45pm Sat 18 Oct 08

i think i gave the best answer to this problem in the last post,that is use the females in the marine base the attacker would get a nasty surprize

Boris Remmington says...
3:36pm Sat 18 Oct 08

There is only one fully qualified female Marine so she's going to be busy.

Finlay says...
5:02pm Sat 18 Oct 08

The attacker is described as an Asian man, ...

Weren't the last two rapists local to this venue, from Africa having 'strong African accents...'?

Am I seeing things or is there a link here somewhere?

Finlay says...
5:08pm Sat 18 Oct 08

the guy on trial for Hannah Foster's brutal murder, who evaporated into the mountains of northern India shortly after the heinous crime was committed. Now where was he from?

obelisker says...
5:32pm Sat 18 Oct 08

claire mc wrote:
I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone
You spent all night thinking up that gem of wisdom.."no men allowed out after dark"...have a lie down dear, you must be tired with all that 'finkin'.

ohdearhowsadyouallare says...
12:16am Sun 19 Oct 08

Mad Max wrote:
Most likely yet another "asylum" seeker with a rap sheet longer than your arm in his home country... which we as a country seem to welcome with open arms... if they catch him and the above is the case, some do gooder church group will appeal for said asylum seeker on the grounds that his home country might slap him on the wrist... Hope the attackee is being well cared for...
It is a sad reflection on our society that fingers are pointed at certain sections of society without any real evidence,just prejudice and ignorance. Not much hope is there?

moron control says...
1:58am Sun 19 Oct 08

obelisker wrote:
claire mc wrote: I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone
You spent all night thinking up that gem of wisdom.."no men allowed out after dark"...have a lie down dear, you must be tired with all that 'finkin'.
Oh dear obelisker, there's always one who totally misses the point of an intelligent comment. Claire made a very clever and valid point, which was that the idea that women should not be allowed out alone is just as ridiculous as the idea that men should't be allowed out alone - especially when it's effectively punnishing the potential victim for the actions of one clearly inadiquate man who chooses to take out his frustration on innocent women. We men should be sympathising and standing up against these deviants who give us all a bad name, not fuelling their excuses.

obelisker says...
8:42am Sun 19 Oct 08

moron control wrote:
obelisker wrote:
claire mc wrote: I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone
You spent all night thinking up that gem of wisdom.."no men allowed out after dark"...have a lie down dear, you must be tired with all that 'finkin'.
Oh dear obelisker, there's always one who totally misses the point of an intelligent comment. Claire made a very clever and valid point, which was that the idea that women should not be allowed out alone is just as ridiculous as the idea that men should't be allowed out alone - especially when it's effectively punnishing the potential victim for the actions of one clearly inadiquate man who chooses to take out his frustration on innocent women. We men should be sympathising and standing up against these deviants who give us all a bad name, not fuelling their excuses.
Umm..So Claires comment was intelligent was it? I guess it was in relation to yours. Nobody said women should not walk alone at night, just perhaps not through a park at 1am that has a history of rapes and muggings..

nosy parker says...
9:34am Sun 19 Oct 08

enoch powell for mayor of southampton

obelisker says...
10:00am Sun 19 Oct 08

Enochs long dead, maybe David Irving instead.

Georgem says...
10:58am Sun 19 Oct 08

moron control wrote:
obelisker wrote:
claire mc wrote: I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone
You spent all night thinking up that gem of wisdom.."no men allowed out after dark"...have a lie down dear, you must be tired with all that 'finkin'.
Oh dear obelisker, there's always one who totally misses the point of an intelligent comment. Claire made a very clever and valid point, which was that the idea that women should not be allowed out alone is just as ridiculous as the idea that men should't be allowed out alone - especially when it's effectively punnishing the potential victim for the actions of one clearly inadiquate man who chooses to take out his frustration on innocent women. We men should be sympathising and standing up against these deviants who give us all a bad name, not fuelling their excuses.
Um, how was it a valid or clever point? Men are already "not allowed" to rape women, and yet it happens, so I don't see how banning them from the park will help. The original advice was for women to choose to avoid the park, which is easy enough to make happen - women simply choose to avoid it. Not allowing men in would require some form of enforcement and constant policing, and if it were possible to do that, it would be possible to simply have a crime-preventing police presence there in the first place (something that inexplicably seems impossible) thus negating any need for either gender to avoid the park. Saying "I know! Lets just not allow men in the park!" is simply worthless blue-sky thinking that shows one hasn't actually grasped the situation at all.

Seems that anyone pragmatic enough to realise that while, yes, men are perpetrating these horrific crimes, women actually have the power to avoid them, is somehow in the wrong for saying so. Hardly productive, that. One could equally say that we have the right to crawl on all fours along the outside lane of the M27, and the motorist should be able to avoid hitting us. After all it's a free country isn't it? Any volunteers to exercise that particular right?

southy says...
12:23pm Sun 19 Oct 08

Boris Remmington wrote:
There is only one fully qualified female Marine so she's going to be busy.
ummm only 1 female marine maybe back in 1990 there are fair number in the marines now

Vonnie says...
12:44pm Sun 19 Oct 08

obelisker wrote:
claire mc wrote: I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone
You spent all night thinking up that gem of wisdom.."no men allowed out after dark"...have a lie down dear, you must be tired with all that 'finkin'.
You arrogant, chauvinistic, condescending, prat. The quite valid point that Claire is making is that rape is usually a male crime so it is about time people stopped apportioning blame to the female victims. Or are you so full of being up your own exhaust that you did not understand what she was getting at?

obelisker says...
1:59pm Sun 19 Oct 08

Vonnie wrote:
obelisker wrote:
claire mc wrote: I've reading some of the comments posted on yesterdays story about this, where quite a few people commented that women shouldn't be walking through parks alone at night, at first i must say i agreed. But thinking about it this morning perhaps it should be no men allowed out after dark as it's mostly men who carry out this sort of attack, why should women be punished for what it generally a male only crime? perhaps men should only be allowed out if acompanied by a women! It seems to me that it's not safe for women to walk any where on their own. I know this won't happen and obviously I'm not saying all men are rapists or serial sex attackers but it gives those people whom think that "the women asked for it" food for thought. By the way I'm not a man hater or anything but just fed up with being afraid to go out alone
You spent all night thinking up that gem of wisdom.."no men allowed out after dark"...have a lie down dear, you must be tired with all that 'finkin'.
You arrogant, chauvinistic, condescending, prat. The quite valid point that Claire is making is that rape is usually a male crime so it is about time people stopped apportioning blame to the female victims. Or are you so full of being up your own exhaust that you did not understand what she was getting at?
Oh my! you have got a bit hot under the collar..calm down..Claires point was nonsense...I said so, deal with it you mong.

southy says...
2:34pm Sun 19 Oct 08

usually a male crime so it is about time people stopped apportioning blame to the female victims.

ummm no one knows if it a usually male crime.males get rape by females just has much only diffrence is a male dont normaly report it they just get on with life

moron control says...
4:34pm Sun 19 Oct 08

Again obelisker, missing the original point. I'lltry explaining it again for the hard of thinkig shall I? Claire was NOT suggeting men should be banned - she was just using the analogy to explain how proposterous it is to blame women for the fact that some inadiquate men can't control themselves. I'm assuming that such a subtle argument is totally lost on one such as you so I really don't expect you to get this. s for Southy... you need help!

obelisker says...
4:53pm Sun 19 Oct 08

moron control wrote:
Again obelisker, missing the original point. I'lltry explaining it again for the hard of thinkig shall I? Claire was NOT suggeting men should be banned - she was just using the analogy to explain how proposterous it is to blame women for the fact that some inadiquate men can't control themselves. I'm assuming that such a subtle argument is totally lost on one such as you so I really don't expect you to get this. s for Southy... you need help!
I am very bored by you, it's not about blame you dopey git, what most sensible people on this site are saying including me is that it was very unwise to walk through that park at 1am, assuming you are a woman (and you are so dense I guess you must be) would you do that? Go on I double dare you! I will leave you with the last word because you are making me bring up my Sunday roast. By the way, the power of your anger at me is spoiled by your awful spelling, get it sorted retard.

obelisker says...
4:55pm Sun 19 Oct 08

moron control wrote:
Again obelisker, missing the original point. I'lltry explaining it again for the hard of thinkig shall I? Claire was NOT suggeting men should be banned - she was just using the analogy to explain how proposterous it is to blame women for the fact that some inadiquate men can't control themselves. I'm assuming that such a subtle argument is totally lost on one such as you so I really don't expect you to get this. s for Southy... you need help!
I am very bored by you, it's not about blame you dopey git, what most sensible people on this site are saying including me is that it was very unwise to walk through that park at 1am, assuming you are a woman (and you are so dense I guess you must be) would you do that? Go on I double dare you! I will leave you with the last word because you are making me bring up my Sunday roast. By the way, the power of your anger at me is spoiled by your awful spelling, get it sorted retard.

obelisker says...
4:56pm Sun 19 Oct 08

Obelisker....so good they named me twice....xxx

southy says...
5:31pm Sun 19 Oct 08

moron control if you was not aware less than 2% of rape victims that are male get reported each year,where has female victims its above 90%

Georgem says...
10:06am Mon 20 Oct 08

It seems that people are confusing a suggestion of preventative measures with apportionment of blame. It's a sensible precaution to fit an immobilizer to ones car, but nobody would suggest that not doing so makes one culpable should their car be stolen. Same thing here. Of course the perpetrator of a sex crime is to blame, but this "I'm ignoring common sense in the name of being able to go wherever I want" mentality is beyond ridiculous, as is the immediate attacking of anybody who dares suggest that women take some action to stop themselves being a victim

Georgem says...
10:13am Mon 20 Oct 08

southy wrote:
moron control if you was not aware less than 2% of rape victims that are male get reported each year,where has female victims its above 90%
Still pulling imaginary figures out of the air to support whatever argument it is you're currently involved in, I see, Southy! By definition, we have no way of establishing how many UNREPORTED assaults are carried out. Clue's in the word "unreported" mate. Or has someone canvassed all sex-criminals and asked them to be honest about their activities?

southy says...
2:37pm Mon 20 Oct 08

Georgem there was a documentary on tv (you might of seen the first part whitch was about musslim women with aids giving to them by there husbands the second part was about male rape vitims) about it,they got the numbers from doctors that are trying to help them.lets face it if you got rape by a woman or women would you report it being a male,just think about it before you say any thing,just think about the shame of it,because it was out of your control would you tell your mates about it only for them to take the micky out of you for a very long time,then it plays on your mind starts screwing your brain up the only place you can turn to is the head shrinks.

Georgem says...
5:32pm Mon 20 Oct 08

southy wrote:
Georgem there was a documentary on tv (you might of seen the first part whitch was about musslim women with aids giving to them by there husbands the second part was about male rape vitims) about it,they got the numbers from doctors that are trying to help them.lets face it if you got rape by a woman or women would you report it being a male,just think about it before you say any thing,just think about the shame of it,because it was out of your control would you tell your mates about it only for them to take the micky out of you for a very long time,then it plays on your mind starts screwing your brain up the only place you can turn to is the head shrinks.
Same old Southy! I'm not being drawn into another of your distracting, protracted, based-in-fiction arguments Southy. Your point, fact-based or otherwise, has nothing to do with the story. It's quite clearly a male-perpetrated crime in this instance

Georgem says...
5:33pm Mon 20 Oct 08

Oh, and before you go off on yet another tangent, I'll draw your attention to the part of the story that says

The attacker is described as an Asian man, aged approximately 30, about 5ft 6in, of middle to large build.


Quite unarguably definately male, then

southy says...
11:59pm Mon 20 Oct 08

Georgem, dont read some read all the item and posts and you will see, quote from Vonnie" Claire is making is that rape is usually a male crime " unquote
the truth of the matter we dont know if its a usually a male crime because to many rapes dont get reported like when rape between a married couple,and before you say you cant rape your wife or husband you can and there have been court cases over it, has for male rape go and check it up i think the program was on channel 4

Georgem says...
8:20am Tue 21 Oct 08

southy wrote:
Georgem, dont read some read all the item and posts and you will see, quote from Vonnie" Claire is making is that rape is usually a male crime " unquote
the truth of the matter we dont know if its a usually a male crime because to many rapes dont get reported like when rape between a married couple,and before you say you cant rape your wife or husband you can and there have been court cases over it, has for male rape go and check it up i think the program was on channel 4
*sigh* Southy, basic biology tells you it's perpetrated more often by males. Use your imagination. Male rape can also be perpetrated by a male, remember. And no, I wasn't going to say "you can't rape your husband or wife" so you can stop with the old straw man technique now thanks very much

southy says...
2:27pm Tue 21 Oct 08

Georgem you really need to think about it,women are more likey to report a rape to the police than a man.if you had watch the program you would then see the problem is a lot bigger than you think it even surprise me how big it is,but dont take my word for it go and check it up for your self

Georgem says...
5:20pm Tue 21 Oct 08

southy wrote:
Georgem you really need to think about it,women are more likey to report a rape to the police than a man.if you had watch the program you would then see the problem is a lot bigger than you think it even surprise me how big it is,but dont take my word for it go and check it up for your self
And you need to think about the sheer physiology involved. In many cases, it would be, literally, impossible, for a woman to rape a man. Not so the other way round. Do I have to draw you a diagram?

southy says...
8:55pm Tue 21 Oct 08

are you daft has you sound it is not impossible for a woman to rape a man
rape is unlawfully having force sex.
i am sure montie is right about you

Georgem says...
8:36am Wed 22 Oct 08

southy wrote:
are you daft has you sound it is not impossible for a woman to rape a man
rape is unlawfully having force sex.
i am sure montie is right about you
So you're now into name-calling, Southy? I'm a troll, I'm daft, blah blah blah? I never said it was impossible for a woman to rape a man, just more difficult. I see you are even less prepared to be argued with now than before! Get a grip, man, you are not, by some divine decree, always right! Learn that, and you'll avoid all these endless arguments you find yourself in

southy says...
10:19am Wed 22 Oct 08

i never called u any names just that i think you are has daff as you sound,and yes we do know now that you are a troll but go and check it out your self

Georgem says...
11:16am Wed 22 Oct 08

southy wrote:
i never called u any names just that i think you are has daff as you sound,and yes we do know now that you are a troll but go and check it out your self
So you're not calling me names, just calling me daft and a troll? Get back in your cage, Southy, this is lame tactics, even for you. You don't even seem to know what "troll" means


CRIME SCENE:Palmerston Park, where a 24-year-old woman was attacked. Detective Inspector Linda Haward who is leading the investigation.

CRIME SCENE:Palmerston Park, where a 24-year-old woman was attacked.

Detective Inspector Linda Haward who is leading the investigation.



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