E-fit issued of rape suspect after woman attacked in Dagenham garden

Police have released an e-fit of a suspected rapist who jumped over a fence and attacked a woman in a back garden.

The woman in her 30s was in a garden in Ellerton Gardens, Dagenham, in the early hours of 1 August when the ordeal took place.

The suspect is described as a very dark-skinned black man in his early to mid 20s and between 5ft 6in and 5ft 8in.

The man, who had a poor complexion and "smelled unwashed", is then alleged to have run off towards Woodward Road.

Detective Constable Jay Gardner said: "This is a shocking attack which has left the victim very distressed.

"We are now issuing this e-fit image and urging the public to help us identify this man. If you think you may know the man depicted in the e-fit, please do call us.

"We also want to speak with anyone who saw a man matching this description, or anything else suspicious, in the area of Ellerton Gardens and Woodward Road during the late evening of Sunday, July 31 into the early hours of Monday 1 August.

"Substantial inquiries have been conducted with the local community but we urge anyone who may have been in the area at this time to come forward."

Anyone with information can call police on 020 8217 7466 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or at crimestoppers-uk.org.