DETECTIVES are looking at possible links between reports of a sexual assault and a flasher targeting people in a North East town.

The first incident happened in Stockton's Grangefield area on Monday when a teenager was sexually assaulted after being followed by a man at around 2.30pm.

The following day, there was a report of a man exposing himself in the town's Ropner Park.

Yesterday, there was another report of a man acting suspiciously in the same area.

Cleveland Police were already investigating an incident that occurred in Ropner Park earlier this month.

  • Grangefield sexual assault

A teenage girl told Cleveland Police a man followed her as she walked in the area of Oxbridge Avenue into Aysgarth Road and then grabbed hold of her.

The incident took place at around 2.30pm on Monday, January 24. The victim described the man as around 5 feet 5 inches tall, with a beard which she described as ‘orange’ in colour and wearing a black jacket, black shirt and blue jeans.

  • Ropner Park

A report of indecent exposure in the area of Ropner Park is also currently being investigated by officers. On Tuesday January 25 a woman reported a man approaching her near to the bridge on Devonshire Street at around 5.30pm. The man then exposed himself.

He is described as around 5ft 6in tall, slim, with the frame of a 17-18 years old and wearing a dark grey hoodie pulled up around his face. He then went back into Ropner Park.

And then, last night (Wednesday, January 26) at around 5.30pm police attended Ropner Park as a woman reported a man following her. He was reported to have a stocky build, wearing a dark-coloured jacket and dark-coloured baggy bottoms, his age was reported as between his teens to 30s.

Earlier this month, on Sunday January 16, a woman called police after being followed when walking her dog in Ropner Park at around 7.50am. The woman reported that a man entered the park from the Marlborough Road side and followed her. She described the man as around 5 ft 7in, dressed in dark clothing and possibly walking with a limp.

Detective Inspector Rick Mansell said: “We want to reassure people that police are carrying out regular patrols in the areas of Stockton where these incidents were reported. This is continuing today and will be both uniformed and plain clothes patrols.

“As part of our investigations we are examining if there are any possible links. These are distressing incidents for the victims involved and we’d urge anyone with information to contact police.”

Police are appealing for anyone who recognises these descriptions or has information, including CCTV or dashcam footage which may assist to call 101, reference 013847.

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