Detectives issue clear photo to track down man in his 20s after girl, six, was abducted from street
Police have issued a clearer picture of a man they are desperate to find in relation to the six-year-old girl who was abducted and sexually assaulted in the Manchester area.
Tameside Police have appealed for help in finding the suspect after the girl was snatched by a man on Warne Avenue, Droylsden, at around 4pm on Wednesday – before being led to a wooded area close to a disused railway track towards Manchester Road and allegedly sexually assaulted.
The young girl was safely reunited with her family a short time later and is receiving support from specialist officers, police say.
A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of abduction and sexual assault, but he has now been released with no further action to be taken.
But detectives probing the incident are stepping up the search for another man they wish to ‘speak to urgently’.
In the latest picture published by police, the white man, who is aged in his 20s, is seen wearing dark trousers, a dark puffer jacket – which at one point was worn around his waist – and dark shoes or trainers, with a white rim around the sole.
At Warne Avenue on Thursday, Tameside Police Detective Superintendent Richard Hunt said: ‘What I can say, he’s obviously grabbed a child and what I would say to members of the public is that they need to be extra vigilant.
Police have issued a clearer picture of a man they are desperate to find in relation to the six-year-old girl who was abducted and sexually assaulted in the Manchester area
‘A child was playing in this area and a chap who was hanging around has taken a child and thankfully within a few minutes we’ve got her back.
‘Parents need to consider the circumstances of what I have mentioned and I would suggest they need to be extra vigilant with their children whilst we progress this as quickly as possible.’
He added: ‘I’m appealing for information in relation to the abduction of a child where the victim was quickly located and is receiving specialist support.
‘At (4.20pm) yesterday we were contacted in relation to a six-year-old child being abducted, this little girl turned seven very soon.
‘This incident started on a grassed area between Warne Avenue and Hawthorn Road in Droylsden at around 4pm.
‘From this green area is a path leading to a football field, and that is between Heron Drive and Brendon Drive.
‘We suspect that the offender walked with the child across this area where we believe he sexually assaulted her.
‘The offender appears to have been hanging around the area prior to the offence and afterwards he made his way through the paths and streets of the Snipe Estate possibly in the direction of Openshaw.
‘You will have seen footage in the press and if you haven’t, can I please ask you to look at these images to try and identify the person, who we are keen to speak to.’
He urged members of the public to check their CCTV, dashcam and doorbell footage for video that might assist the investigation, and asked them not to speculate on social media.
He added: ‘Obviously we are keen to speak to this male, described in the footage. He is a white man, aged in his 20s, dark trousers, a dark jacket, which at one point was worn around his waist and dark shoes or trainers, we can’t say for certain, with a white rim around the sole.
‘A man was arrested, he is not the man in the image, he has assisted with our inquiries and has now been released with no further action.’
He said extra police officers are patrolling the area but said it appears to be an ‘isolated incident’.
Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 9262.
Greater Manchester Police then released a second image of the man they want to identify. He appears here on Gainsborough Road heading towards The Snipe
A forensic officer walks along a green where a police tent has been erected at the scene in Warne Avenue, Droylsden
A van inside a police cordon close to a woodland where a six-year-old girl was abducted and sexually assaulted
The van is parked adjacent to a woodland, where police say the six-year-old was taken close to a disused railway track
A blue tent has been erected inside a small grass area where police say the suspect hung around before and after the sexual assault
A police community support officer guards a police cordon where forensic teams were seen searching a van earlier today
A blue police tent and officer inside a cordon in Warne Avenue, Droylsden, earlier today following the abduction of a child
Police yesterday released two images of the male taken 30 minutes apart, urging anyone who sees him to call 999 immediately.
And speaking at the scene of one of two police cordons today, DSI Richard Hunt said: ‘The offender appears to have been hanging around the area prior to the offence and also afterwards. He made his way through the paths and streets of the Snipe Estate possibly in the direction of Openshaw. Officers are out on the ground retrieving CCTV footage of this area.
The first of the two pictures released by police yesterday was taken a short time after the reports of the abduction were first made, with the second captured around half an hour afterwards.
It shows the man appearing to be wearing a jacket around his waist in Gainsborough Road hearing towards The Snipe pub.
This morning, an area of grass just off the street remains taped off by police. Pictures show officers standing guard at the cordon. A forensic tent is also in place next to a footpath.
A second cordon is in place around a large van around a 15-minute walk away. The van is parked adjacent to a woodland area.
The scene in Warne Avenue, Droylsden, where a six-year-old was near a bench which is covered up in the tent
A large van inside a second police cordon was searched by forensic officers at the scene this afternoon
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: ‘Detectives have issued two images of another man we wish to speak to urgently in relation to this incident.
‘We’re keeping an open-mind as our fast-paced enquiries continue. Thank you for your help so far.’
Officers had earlier released a statement with a CCTV image saying: ‘We’re wanting to speak to this man after a girl (aged six) was taken into the woods by a stranger in Droylsden earlier.
‘Thankfully the girl was re-united with her family a short time later.
‘Seen him? Call 999. Contact us with any other info quoting 2270 of 17/08.’
There are a large number of officers in the area while ‘extensive searches for the suspect take place’, police said.
