Teenage girl raped in horrific attack outside Shepherd's Bush shopping centre
A manhunt has been launched after a teenage girl was raped outside a shopping centre in west London.
The 17-year-old was forced towards the entrance of West 12 Shopping Centre in Shepherd’s Bush before she was subjected to the attack.
The victim and her friend were approached by two men while shopping in nearby Westfield on October 27 last year.
After spending some time together, they went to central London before returning to Shepherd’s Bush Green by bus.
Police say the men attempted to make both women drink from a bottle of vodka, which they refused to do.
And at about 3.45am the following morning, the women were split up and a man, who identified himself as Ahmed, forced the victim towards West 12.
It was there that he launched a vicious attack on the teenager.
The two women quickly left the area and made their way home before contacting police.
Detectives believe the two men identified themselves as Mohamed Saif and Ahmed, but it is not known if this is their real names.
An investigation has been launched and the women were provided with specialist support.
Officers have released a CCTV still of a man they want to trace in connection to the attack.
He is described as 5ft 9ins, of medium build with black spiky hair. He spoke with broken English.
He was wearing blue jeans, a dark bomber jacket and light trainers.
DC Rebecca Thomas, the investigating officer from the Met's Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said:"These two men took advantage of the victim and her friend. They lured them both into a false sense of security before trying to ply them with alcohol; which the women refused.
"I would appeal to anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV to contact police.
“I would also like to speak with anyone who saw him in the company of the other man - who called himself Mohamed Saif - and two women over the course of Thursday, 27 and Friday, 28 October.
"The four of them travelled by bus and were in the Haymarket area of Westminster before returning to Shepherd's Bush."
Anyone who recognises the man in the CCTV or anyone with information is asked to contact police on 020 8733 5009 or via 101.
Alternatively, they can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit the
www.crimestoppers-uk.org website
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