Police want witnesses after a woman was sexually assaulted on the Stray at about 8.30pm on Sunday 6 September, between Knaresborough Road and Wetherby Road.

North Yorkshire Police are appealing for witnesses after a woman was sexually assaulted on the Stray in Harrogate. It happened at about 8.30pm on Sunday 6 September, on the stretch between Knaresborough Road and Wetherby Road.

The force says the victim was walking on the Stray when an unknown man sexually assaulted her while running past. He then ran off in the direction of Wetherby Road. The force is treating it as sexual assault by touching, and its appeal was published on 8 September.

Police describe the suspect as:

  • a white man
  • tall, with a skinny build
  • wearing shorts, a blue or green running jacket and a white baseball cap

Officers want to hear from anyone with information about the suspect, and from anyone who was in the area at the time and witnessed the incident.

How to contact the police

The force asks people to get in touch online in the first instance, quoting reference 12260175247:

  • Email the officer in the case, PC Sarah Moore, at Sarah.Moore@northyorkshire.police.uk
  • Use the North Yorkshire Police website: select “Tell us about”, then “An existing case or report”
  • Live chat on the force website, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
  • If you cannot use those options, call 101 and ask for PC 957 Moore
  • To stay anonymous, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111

What it means for you

The Stray between Knaresborough Road and Wetherby Road is one of the most walked routes in Harrogate, used by commuters, runners and dog walkers well into the evening. If you were on that side of the Stray around 8.30pm on Sunday 6 September and saw a man matching the description, the police want to hear from you even if what you saw seemed minor at the time.

Sources