Appeal after woman allegedly raped in Sunderland after being picked up in a car following night out

On Sunday, February 12, a woman contacted Northumbria Police to report she had been raped by a man who picked her up then drove to the Hendon Beach area and raped her.

The woman was later dropped off outside her home in a ‘disorientated condition,’ officers said.

She later contacted the police about her alleged ordeal.

An investigation was immediately launched by detectives from Northumbria Police’s Safeguarding Department, including a review of CCTV in the area and a man in his 40s has been arrested on suspicion of rape and remains in police custody.

Enquiries are on-going and today, Monday, February 13, police officers have appealed for the public’s help after issuing CCTV images of witnesses in the city centre they would like to trace to help with investigations.

Detective Chief Inspector Shelley Hudson, who’s leading the investigation, said: "This is an extremely difficult time for the victim, and I want to begin by praising her bravery in coming forward. We will continue to support her in any way we can.

“Our officers have been working tirelessly to identify the person responsible, carrying out a range of enquiries and we are now appealing for witnesses to come forward.

"A number of bystanders were captured on CCTV in the area of the taxi pick-up and we’re urging them to come forward and share any information they may have.

“We know the photo quality is very poor, but believe if you were in the area at this time, you will be able to identify yourself.

“Any information, no matter how insignificant you fear it might be, could prove crucial in this case.”

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The woman is currently being supported by specially-trained officers.

Detective Hudson added: “We know incidents of this nature can cause concern in our communities and we will be continuing to carry out extra patrols to offer reassurance.

“We are committed to doing all we can to support the victim while bringing the person responsible to justice.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police via their Tell Us Something page or by calling 101 and quoting reference NP-20230212-0554.