News

Three men have been arrested following an allegation of serious sexual assault in Folkestone on Thursday 29 September 2011.

A 30-year-old man from Canterbury and a 31-year-old man from Folkestone attended Folkestone police station on Saturday. They have been released on police bail pending further police investigation until the middle of November (14 November).

A third man, aged 29 from Folkestone, is currently in custody being questioned after attending Folkestone police station today (Monday). Police are trying to trace a fourth man in connection with the assault.

A 38-year-old woman contacted police to report that she had been sexually assaulted by four men in the St Mary and St Eanswythe Church graveyard in Priory Gardens.

Acting Detective Chief Inspector Julien Lawton said: “The victim had visited two local pubs, the Lord Morris in Guildhall Street and the East Kent Arms in Sandgate Road, that evening. While she was in the East Kent Arms she had a conversation with a group of four men. They were all white, aged about 28 and were all of slim build and dressed in casual clothing. One man had tattoos and a foreign accent.

'She left the East Kent Arms at about 11pm in the company of one of the men. It appears that he was then joined by three other men and they took her into the graveyard where she was sexually assaulted.'

Police have searched the graveyard and are carrying out house to house enquiries and examining CCTV footage of the area.

They are also appealing for anyone who was in Folkestone town centre last night and may have seen or heard anything suspicious to contact Kent Police on 01622 690690 or Kent Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 quoting crime number FY/015285/11.

Hawkinge Gazette and Channel Coast News 2011©