Police launch witness appeal after woman attacked on night out in Northampton town centre

Police in Northampton are appealing for witnesses after a woman was assaulted in the town centre on Thursday night (March 24).

Officers say the victim woman was attacked in the College Street area of town, near the Drapery, at about 10.30pm.

A Northamptonshire Police spokesman said: "We would like to speak to anyone who was in the College Street area or the nearby Drapery, between 10pm and 11pm on Thursday and who may have seen anything or anyone acting suspiciously.

"We would also like to hear from anyone who may have been driving or cycling in the area between the stated times to check their dashcam footage for any suspicious activity.

"We offer a number of tips for staying safe on nights out — in an ideal world, we wouldn’t need to share this advice but sadly there are people who may look to take advantage of you on a night out"

Witnesses or anyone with information about the incident can call police on 101 using incident number 22000169894 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

■ Police advice for staying safe on nights out in town:

• If you need help, speak to venue or door staff, street pastors or police officers

• Help is also available via the Safer Nights Out (SNO) van, a customised minibus staffed by vetted volunteers between 10pm and 5am every Friday and Saturday

• If you have any concerns about someone’s behaviour or wellbeing, report it immediately to venue staff or to police

• Always look after your drinks. Don’t leave them unattended, don’t take drinks from strangers or pick up drinks at random – you have no way of knowing what’s in them

• Stick with your friends – keep an eye on each other and have a plan for getting home safely

■ Find more crime prevention and safety advice HERE