Chelmsford: Witness appeal after serious assault

Detectives investigating a serious assault on a woman in Chelmsford are continuing to appeal for witnesses to come forward.

We received a call from a member of the public shortly before 6.25pm on Monday 11 September, reporting a woman had been assaulted in the area of Mill Lane, Broomfield.

It was reported she was walking her dog when she was approached by a male, who assaulted her from behind before demanding money.

Officers swiftly launched an investigation into this incident and our enquiries are moving at pace as we look to establish the circumstances.

Detectives had released a CCTV image of a man seen in the area who they believed could have valuable information to assist the investigation.

He has now been identified after coming forward to help.

We are also appealing for anyone who may have been in the area at the time, particularly between the hours of 6pm and 7.30pm, to come forward.

Investigation moving quickly

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Huddleston, of North LPA CID, said:

“We are looking to speak to anyone who may have been in the area of Mill Lane around this time – an area particularly popular with dog walkers.
“Incidents of this nature are very rare, but we appreciate there will be a level of concern shared by all within the Chelmsford community.
“Rest assured we are working around the clock to investigate this incident.
“I would reassure those who live and work in the Chelmsford area that our officers will be on the scene, and carrying out patrols in the area, as we continue our enquiries.”

Do you have any information?

If you have any information, CCTV, dash cam or other footage in relation to this incident, then please get in contact with us.

You can let us know by submitting a report on our website or by using our online Live Chat service available Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays) between 10am-9pm.

Visit www.essex.police.uk/digital101 to find out more about our website reporting services.

Alternatively you can call us on 101.

In an emergency always call 999.

If you would like to make an anonymous report you can contact independent charity @CrimestoppersUK, by visiting their website or by calling 0800 555 111.

Please quote incident 1177 of 11 September when providing any information to make sure it gets to the right person as quickly as possible.