Police link violent assaults in resort
7:19am Thursday 22nd May 2008
A series of violent assaults on teenage girls and young women in a seaside town are being linked to one offender.
Police suspect the same man is responsible for ten attacks on victims aged from 16 to 33 as they walked or cycled late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
Two of the attacks took place within the past week and led police to publicly announce that they are linking them with eight other assaults in Hastings.
Detectives said the attacker normally strikes between 11pm and 3am and there appears to be no sexual motive or anything stolen from the victims.
The first attack was on June 20 last year on a 19-year-old cyclist who was approached from behind and hit in the face, causing her to fall and suffer a cut cheek, a nose bleed and a bruise to her eye.
Police said the following nine attacks involved young women being approached by a man who either grabbed, punched or struck them on the head with a weapon.
The victims needed treatment for cuts, some of them serious, and bruises.
Anyone with information should call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
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