Reward to catch man who raped 13-year-old girl in Retford cemetery more than two years ago

Police have issued a new appeal to find a man who raped a 13-year-old girl in a cemetery in North Nottinghamshire as she walked home from school.

The incident happened in a graveyard off Babworth Road, Retford, at around 3.40pm on Thursday 12 December, 2019 – the date of the general election.

The teenager was walking alone across a bridge over the Chesterfield Canal when she was approached by a man who pulled out a knife before leading her into undergrowth where he raped her.

After the attack, he made his way towards North Road. While police do not think anyone saw the attack itself, the girl was left with mud on her hands and face and told officers she felt that people were looking at her as left the cemetery.

Despite extensive investigations, the case remains unsolved.

The BBC's Crimewatch programme covered the case today, showing CCTV footage of a man police want speak to about whether he witnessed anything that could help the investigation.

It shows him walking along Leafield, close to the cemetery, around the time the victim was attacked. Crimestoppers is offering a £1,000 reward for information.

Det Sgt Neil Allsop, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: "We would like to hear from anybody who was in the area and saw anything suspicious.

"This case may now be over two years old but the date may well stick in people’s minds as it coincided with the 2019 general election."

Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.