Sex attacks on girls shock town (From Gazette & Herald)

Sex attacks on girls shock town

RESIDENTS have spoken of their shock after two teenaged girls were sexually attacked on the streets of a North Yorkshire town.

Malton-based detectives launched an investigation after a 14-year-old was the victim of a serious sexual assault and a 15-year-old was indecently assaulted within a three-hour period in Norton on Friday night.

A man was arrested in connection with one of the attacks. He was later released on police bail without charge.

Police said they were not linking the incidents at this stage.

As anger and fear swept the tight-knit community, police combed the scenes of both incidents. Both sites were taped off as forensic teams went to work.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "Clearly, after what they have been through, we expect the girls to be extremely traumatised.

"We are anxious to speak to anybody who may have witnessed either incident or seen anything suspicious at the time." The first attack happened near a car park behind the library and town council building, on Commercial Street.

Police said a 14-year-old girl was the subject of a "serious sexual assault" in the area between 8pm and 9pm. Officers would not confirm whether they were investigating a rape allegation.

In a separate attack, only a couple of hundred metres away, a 15-year-old girl was indecently assaulted, apparently near a telephone box in Welham Road.

Residents said the phone box, on the junction of Welham Road and Springfield Garth near the mothballed Malton Clothing site, was taped off by police at about 2.30am on Saturday.

John Rushworth, owner of the Derwent Arms pub, Norton, said crimes like this were rare in the quiet town.

He said: "This kind of thing is unheard of here.

"Nobody can believe it - it's just something that does not happen.

"We have our moments in this town but we don't need anything like this."

The 60-year-old added: "I've lived here since 1976 and I've never heard of anything like it.

"Let's just hope they catch whoever did this."

A Welham Road resident, who asked not to be named, said: "We're used to drugs and fighting around here, but not sexual assaults. It's frightening."

Witnesses to either incident should call 01609 789355.

Updated: 11:37 Monday, November 10, 2003