Detectives have taken part in a national television appeal as part of their ongoing investigation into a report of rape at Bournemouth beach.
Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT) has been heading the investigation and the lead detective on the case will appear on the Crimewatch Live programme on BBC One on Monday 6 September 2021. The programme will feature a reconstruction of events, which took place at around 4pm on Sunday 18 July 2021 in the sea near to the Oceanarium.
The victim – a 15-year-old girl – was with her friends playing with a ball when it landed in front of a teenage boy.
The boy eventually threw the ball back to one of the group and then began talking to the victim, before pulling her out deeper into the sea where it is reported that he raped her.
The offender told the victim that he was 17 years old, he was from Birmingham and his name was ‘Dabby’. He is described as possibly of Asian descent and with tanned skin, around five feet six inches tall and of a thin but muscular build with short dark hair that was pushed back and looked freshly trimmed. He was wearing black or grey swimming shorts.
As well as taking part in the BBC Crimewatch Live appeal, detectives have been working with experts from the National Crime Agency as they explore a number of lines of enquiry.
Detective Inspector Wayne Seymour, of MCIT, who appeared on the BBC One show, said: “First and foremost I would like to thank the victim for her support of the televised appeal and the courage she has shown in assisting our investigation as we continue to do all we can to identify the offender in this case.
“I would also like to thank BBC Crimewatch Live for helping us to spread the message to a national audience as we strongly believe the offender is not local to the Bournemouth area and is believed to have links to Birmingham and the West Midlands.
“I am continuing to appeal for anyone with information that might assist our enquiries to please come forward and make contact with us. Even if it is just a seemingly small bit of information, it might assist us with piecing together the evidence in this case and tracking down the culprit.
“I would repeat our previous plea for anyone who exchanged Snapchat messages with a number of young Asian men who were reported to be approaching female beachgoers on the date of the incident to come forward. We are also again issuing an e-fit image of the suspect that has been produced and would urge anyone who recognises him to please contact us.
“We do have forensic evidence that means we will be able to eliminate anyone who was not involved from our enquiries.”
Detectives are urging anyone with information, images or footage relevant to the investigation to submit it via the UK Police Major Incident Public Portal at https://mipp.police.uk/operation/55HQ21M71-PO1
Anyone with information can also contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email [email protected] or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55210115587. Alternatively, to stay 100 per cent anonymous, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or call Freephone 0800 555 111.
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