Thames Valley Police are investigating offences of rape and sexual assault which have occurred in Wantage and Grove.

A man has been charged and remanded to custody however, police would still like to hear from anyone who may have information in relation these incidents or who may have themselves been the victim of crime.

At around 11.15pm on Tuesday (27/1), a woman in her late teens was approached by an unknown man riding a bicycle while she was walking alone along Grove Road. After speaking briefly with her, she was led towards an area behind Mably Way, where she was raped. The offender then left the area on his bicycle, which is described as black in colour, travelling towards the traffic lights near Lidl.

The offender is described as a man of mixed ethnic background, believed to be in his mid-thirties, approximately 5ft 6ins tall, with short black hair.

Officers are also investigating one sexual assault and one attempted sexual assault reported in the local area last week and are keeping an open mind as to whether there may be any link to the rape reported on Tuesday (27/1).

The sexual assault occurred at around 9.30pm on Wednesday 21 January, a woman in her late twenties was approached by an unknown man on Cane Lane, Grove. After a brief interaction, the woman continued walking along Main Street towards Grove Garage. The man then followed her and sexually assaulted her.

The offender is described as a man of mixed ethnic background, believed to be in his fifties, approximately 5ft 7ins tall, and had slight stubble facial hair.

The attempted sexual assault occurred between 11.50pm and midnight on Saturday (24/1), when a woman in her forties was walking alone along Mayfield Avenue, Grove, near Oxford Lane. She noticed a lone man on the opposite side of the road. The man followed the victim and crossed the road before attempting to sexually assault her.

The offender is described as a man of mixed ethnic background, approximately 5ft 6ins tall, and had acne scarring on his face.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart May, who is leading this investigation, said:

“We are keen to hear from these individuals who we were in the area at the time and may hold key information for the investigation. We are also appealing to anyone who may have captured video footage in the area around that time – including on mobile phones, dashcams, or other devices – to come forward, as this could also provide vital evidence. We understand this incident will have caused significant concern within the local community. We are continuing to work tirelessly, with dedicated patrols in place to provide reassurance and visibility while we carry out a thorough investigation."