CCTV appeal following reported rape in Liverpool city centre

Detectives have issued a CCTV image of a man who may have information to assist enquiries following a reported rape in Liverpool city centre last month.

At around 3.30am on Sunday 12 March, a woman in her 20s was reportedly raped by a man on Back Berry Street.

The woman had met the suspect at McCooley’s bar in Concert Square a few hours earlier and engaged in conversation before they left on foot.

Specialist detectives are supporting the victim as our enquiries continue, including CCTV, witnesses and forensics.

The man is described as having afro-style hair, around 5ft 5in tall, of slim build, and was wearing a black bomber jacket.

Detective Inspector Paul McVeigh said: “If you know this man please come forward now, as he may have vital information to assist us.

“Although the quality of the CCTV image isn't ideal, we believe some people may recognise him and he can assist our enquiries.

“Such a serious offence is extremely distressing, and specialist officers will continue to support the victim. We also understand the wider concern that this will cause in the area, and I want to assure people that we are assessing all possible evidence as a matter of high priority.

“So if you know anything, no matter how small the detail, please let us know and we can assess that information immediately.”

Please pass on any information via @MerPolCC, ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Facebook or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 with reference 23000209618.

Anyone who wants to report a sexual offence allegation is asked to call 101 where you will be spoken to by specially trained officers, or you can pass information to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Support for victims is also available through the registered charity the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre Cheshire and Merseyside, who can be contacted on 01925 221 546 or 0330 363 0063 or Rape and Sexual Assault Merseyside (RASA) on 0151 558 1801.

For women who have felt or feel unsafe in public spaces the Home Office has set up a pilot service StreetSafe | Police.uk (www.police.uk) for anyone to anonymously report public places where they have felt or feel unsafe, because of environmental issues, eg street lighting, abandoned buildings or vandalism and/or because of some behaviours, e.g. being followed or verbally abused. Please note: 'StreetSafe' is not for reporting crime or incidents.

Report online: If you’d like to report online, rather than speaking to an officer by telephone in the first instance, you can use our online crime reporting service which is secure and confidential. All reports made using this service are reviewed by our 24/7 contact centre within a few hours and an officer will get back to you in a maximum of two days (although usually quicker).