Workmen assist in sex attack arrest

JOELLE DALLY | 22nd April 2010

Two workmen are being praised for helping police arrest a man for a daylight sex attack on a 15-year-old.

But the workers say they are no heroes.

A 29-year-old is in custody and will appear in the district court on Friday charged with assault with intent to commit rape in relation to the incident at Denton Park, in Hornby.

The man allegedly followed the 15-year-old into the park, grabbed her and threw her to the ground about 2pm on April 9.

A struggle ensued, in which the girl managed to get away and run to a nearby house, police said.

Police were patrolling in the area at the time. When they were alerted, they asked two workmen near the park if they had seen anyone fitting the alleged attacker's description.

The Connetics workers had been doing street light maintenance and had noticed a man acting suspiciously walk by.

They said they would keep an eye out for the man.

So when they saw the man fitting the description return into the park a few minutes later, they sprang into action.

Police were by this time looking for the alleged attacker on the opposite side of the park. The workmen, who did not wish to be identified, got in their van and drove near to where police were and alerted them by tooting and pointing towards the man.

"The last we saw of them (the police), they were running towards him," one said.

The other worker said they "didn't do it for praise."

He said they were simply pleased to help police arrest and charge someone over the incident.

"Most people would do it if they could do it," he said.

"(But) it is a nice feeling to know we've done something."

Detective Colin Baillie praised the actions of the workmen, saying every little bit of information provided to police by the public helped.

"They've been aware of their surroundings and noticed an individual ... and they've been good enough to bring it to police attention," he said.

"It was good to get that feedback from them."

Detective Baillie said the 15-year-old, while not physically harmed, was "shaken up."

He said the specifics of the alleged assault were still being investigated. He said police would oppose bail for the man on Friday.

In a separate incident, a group of passers-by rescued a 31-year-old woman from a sexually motivated attack in Linwood at the weekend.

The woman was walking home on Stanmore Rd when she was grabbed and dragged into a reserve about 2am on Saturday.

Police said a group of men noticed what was happening and came to her rescue, shouting at the attacker.

The man, described as European aged 40-45 with short dark hair and a pot-belly, ran off.

He was wearing jeans and a black knee-length jacket.

The rescuers waited with the woman until her friends came and took her home.