UK: Police searching for offshore worker linked to sexual assault

British Transport Police has issued an appeal to trace offshore worker with links to Great Yarmouth after woman sexually assaulted in Grantham.

British Transport Police (BTP) officers yesterday released images of a man they wish to speak with after a woman was sexually assaulted on a train travelling between Grantham and Newark on Thursday, 11 December 2014.

Around 10.30am the victim, a 21-year-old local woman sat on a bench at Grantham station waiting to catch the train to Newark when a man sat next to her and attempted to engage her in conversation.

According to BTP, the man claimed to be an oil rig worker and was heading to Scotland to start work. He then asked her a number of inappropriate and sexually explicit questions.

The woman boarded the service and sat down, followed by the man who sat next to her and continued to ask her inappropriate sexual questions before propositioning her. When the victim refused his advances he sexually assaulted her.

The train then pulled into Newark station where she left the service.

Detective constable Sarah Trotter said: “This was a very serious assault, which has left the victim extremely shaken. I am very keen to identify the man in the CCTV image as he may prove vital to our investigations.

“We captured this man on CCTV leaving the train at Aberdeen which may support his claims that he is an oil rig worker. The victim also noticed that the man was carrying a large black holdall with a luggage label showing an address in Great Yarmouth. We have followed both these lines of enquiry, including undertaking extensive enquires on the oil rigs, with Police Scotland and home office forces in England to try and identify him but to no avail.

“We are now hoping that by releasing his image someone may know him and come forward.

“If you do recognise this man, who as mentioned may have links to Scotland, the offshore industry and Great Yarmouth, or have any information about this incident please contact us. It is vital that we find the person responsible for this offensive and unacceptable behaviour.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference MSUB/B3 of 19/1/2015. Information can also be passed anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Update: 20.1.2015 13:32 CET

The man sought after by police for an alleged sexual assault on a train travelling between Grantham and Newark on Thursday, 11 December 2014, has, reportedly, voluntarily contacted BTP and will be interviewed by officers in due course.