Police are urgently searching for a man suspected of raping a woman in a racially motivated attack.
West Midlands police were called to the Park Hall area of Walsall just after 7.15pm on Saturday night after a woman was seen in distress in the street.
The woman, in her 20s, had been raped and assaulted at a nearby property by a man she did not know, according to police.
The incident is being treated as “racially aggravated” and police have released CCTV footage of the suspect, asking anyone who knows his identity to call 999 immediately.
The suspect is described as white, in his 30s, with short hair, and was wearing dark clothing.
“This was an absolutely appalling attack on a young woman, and we are doing absolutely everything we can to arrest the person responsible,” said Detective Superintendent Ronan Tyrer.
“We have teams of officers recovering evidence and building a profile of the attacker so that he can be brought into custody as soon as possible.
“While we are following multiple lines of enquiry right now, it’s vital that we get to hear from anyone who saw a man acting suspiciously in the area at the time.
“It may be that you were driving through the area and have dashcam footage, or you have CCTV that we have not yet recovered. Your information could be the vital breakthrough that we need.
“At this stage we are not linking this attack to any other offences.”
In September, a Sikh woman was raped in grassland in Tame Road, Oldbury, in an incident also treated as racially aggravated by police.
Preet Kaur Gill MP, the Labour (Co-op) MP for Birmingham Edgbaston, posted on X: “Deeply shocked and saddened that we are hearing of yet another racially aggravated rape this time in Walsall.
“West Midlands Police have reported a rape and assault of a young woman in her 20s in the Park Hall area, described as racially aggravated.”
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West Midlands Police confirmed officers from the public protection unit, local policing officers and forensic officers had worked overnight on the investigation.
Chief Superintendent Phil Dolby said: “Walsall is a diverse area and we know the fear and concern that this awful attack will cause in our communities.
“We have been speaking to people in the community today to listen to and understand their concerns and there will be an increased policing presence in the coming days.”
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Anyone with information is asked to contact West Midlands Police on 101 or the live chat online, quoting log 4027 of 25 October.
